Jew World Order

These explosives were said to have caused a second, larger explosion after the
impact of the torpedo, causing the 790ft-long vessel to sink rapidly before
help could arrive.

But new scientific research – which has included a search of the shipwreck as
well as laboratory tests and a computer reconstruction of the sinking – has
debunked these theories.

It found no evidence to support the claims and concluded the second explosion
reported by survivors was one of the ship’s boilers exploding.

The team behind the new research conducted a series of dives onto the wreck
using a miniature submarine and a “newt suit” – an atmospheric
diving suit which allows a diver to operate an extreme depths.

They sent a camera 20ft into the wreck, which lies at a depth of 300ft, to
inspect the cargo hold and blast damage.

They then conducted tests at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in
California – a US government-funded research facility which specialises in
explosives.

In a series of controlled explosions and tests, they analysed the various
theories: that the second explosion was the result of aluminium, which was
used to make landmines, and gun cotton, an artillery propellent.

They found the appearance of an aluminium explosion was very different to that
reported by survivors of the sinking, while gun cotton would have exploded
instantaneously, rather than after a 15-20 second delay.

They also rejected the theory that the second explosion was caused by coal
dust igniting, as this would not have caused enough structural damage to
sink the ship.

Instead, they concluded the second blast was a boiler explosion, which did not
itself cause significant damage. The rapid sinking, they found, was simply
due to damage caused by the initial torpedo strike.

Following the tests, Dr Jon Maienschien, a scientist at the laboratory, said: “I
am confident that the torpedo caused catastrophic damage that was fatal to
the ship.”

The original investigations both in the UK and the United States into the
precise causes of the ship’s loss were obstructed by the needs for wartime
secrecy and a propaganda campaign to ensure all blame fell upon Germany.
Arguments of a secret cargo and cover-up have raged ever since.

Before the Lusitania sailed, the German embassy had placed warnings in
the US press that the ship could be targeted.

The German authorities defended the sinking by claiming the ship – which had
been built with the help of British government loan on condition it could be
used by the Royal Navy during wartime – had “carried contraband
of war” and that she had “large quantities of war material in her
cargo”.

In Britain, the Defence of the Realm Act was amended, just before the opening
of the hearing into the ship’s loss, meaning that the possibility that any “war
materials” were on board could not be discussed. The full report into
the matter has never been published.

In an American court case, dealing with compensation claims arising from the
sinking, both sides agreed they would not raise any questions about such a
cargo being on board.

It is known that boxes of “small arms” .303 rifle cartridges were on
the ship and were declared at the time. These were not classified as “ammunition”
by the authorities and the ship was permitted to carry them under the
regulations of the period. These could not have been responsible for the
explosion.

One of those who believes there was a secret cache of explosives on board is
the wreck’s owner, Gregg Bemis. He was involved in the latest expedition and
subsequent laboratory research but disagreed with the scientists’ findings.

“It is still my opinion that the fact that it had high explosive on it is
why the ship sank in 18 minutes,” he added.

Mr Bemis, a 84-year-old entrepreneur, from New Mexico, bought the wreck in
1968 with other owners, who he has since bought out. He owns anything on the
liner that belonged to Cunard, while luggage and cargo belongs to the Irish
authorities as receiver of the wreck.

The latest expedition and experiments were filmed by National Geographic and
will be broadcast on July 15.

The wreck has been declared a protected site, placing an underwater heritage
order on it to deter treasure hunters, so the team had to secure permission
from the Irish authorities before diving could begin.

Britain had been at war with Germany for almost a year when the Lusitania was
attacked, but submarine warfare was a relatively new – and fast-developing –
concept.

In the early days of the conflict, it was customary for crews of merchant
vessels to be given the opportunity to abandon ship before their vessels
were sunk – although in early 1915, Germany started to move towards a system
of so-called “unrestricted submarine warfare” in which vessels
were attacked without warning. Only two days before she sank the Lusitania,
however, U-20 had stopped a merchant vessel, Earl of Lathom, and let her
crew escape before sinking her.

The 790ft Lusitania was nicknamed the Greyhound of the Sea and held the speed
record for crossing the Atlantic until 1909, when she lost it to her sister
ship, the Mauretania.

Among the passengers on her last voyage were a number of eminent and wealthy
politicians, artists, academics and businessmen, as well as the art
collector, Sir Hugh Lane, who is reported to have had with him on board,
paintings by Titian, Monet and Rubens in sealed containers.