Thomas Bowman, chief engineer, was also in the water all night. He struck out in the direction of the Belgian Prince and at daylight next morning he sighted her still afloat. At about 5.30 a.m. he saw her explode and go down. An hour later he was picked up by a British patrol-boat.
George Silessi, A.B., was the only other survivor out of a crew of 42.
Such are the circumstances that accompanied the sinking of the Belgian Prince, and one looks in vain for any fact that can excuse the conduct of the Germans. They appear to have carried out their work with the sole object of taking as many lives as possible. To understand the out-look of such men is impossible. What was at the back of their minds when they dismantled and destroyed the life-boats? What satisfaction could they derive from the fact that their prisoners had no life-belts? These belts, it will be noticed, were thrown overboard by a German officer. What is to be said of the submarine commander who allowed such conduct? Here was a responsible officer who ordered his craft to submerge, when he knew perfectly well that most of the 38 men outside on deck were without any means of saving their lives. Imagination boggles at the cold-blooded cruelty of the deed.
[THE PIRATE AND NEUTRALS.]
A Selection of Cases.
| Portuguese s.s. DOURO | 3rd April, 1915. |
| Swedish s.s. FOLKE | 14th April, 1915. |
| Dutch s.s. KATWIJK | 15th April, 1915. |
| American Oiler GULFLIGHT | 2nd May, 1915. |
| American s.s. NEBRASKAN | 25th May, 1915. |
| Danish schooner BETTY | 25th May, 1915. |
| Norwegian s.s. SVEIN JARL | 9th June, 1915. |
| Norwegian s.s. RYM | 14th July, 1915. |
| Norwegian schooner MAGDA | 18th August, 1915. |
| Dutch s.s. TUBANTIA | 16th March, 1916. |
| Norwegian s.v. TAMARA | 3rd Feb., 1917. |
| Norwegian s.s. SOLBAKKEN | 4th Feb., 1917. |
| Peruvian barque LORTON | 5th Feb., 1917. |
| Swedish s.s. VARING | 7th Feb., 1917. |
| Greek s.s. AGHIOS SPYRIDON | 12th Feb., 1917. |
| Norwegian s.s. FALLS OF AFTON | 20th Feb., 1917. |
| Norwegian s.v. MABELLA | 1st March, 1917. |
| Norwegian s.s. GURRE | 1st March, 1917. |
| Danish s.s. ROSBORG | 3rd March, 1917. |
| Norwegian s.v. SILAS | 8th March, 1917. |
| Norwegian s.s. EINAR JARL | 12th March, 1917. |
| Norwegian s.v. COLLINGWOOD | 12th March, 1917. |
| Danish s.s DANA | 9th June, 1917. |
| Norwegian s.s. HELMA | 12th June, 1917. |