The characteristic courage of the Irish and British people was manifested at the time of this terrible disaster, the Coroner continued, and there was no panic.  He charged that the responsibility “lay on the German Government and the whole people of Germany, who collaborated in the terrible crime.”

“I propose to ask the jury,” he continued, “to return the only verdict possible for a self-respecting jury, that the men in charge of the German submarine were guilty of willful murder.”

The jury then retired and prepared their verdict.

Descriptions by Survivors

SUBMARINE CREW OBSERVED.

[By The Associated Press.]

LONDON, May 10.—­The Fishguard correspondent of The Daily News quotes the Rev. Mr. Guvier of the Church of England’s Canadian Railway Mission, a Lusitania survivor, as saying that when the ship sank a submarine rose to the surface and came within 300 yards of the scene.

“The crew stood stolidly on the deck,” he said, “and surveyed their handiwork.  I could distinguish the German flag, but it was impossible to see the number of the submarine, which disappeared after a few minutes.”

ERNEST COWPER’S ACCOUNT.

QUEENSTOWN, Saturday, May 8, 3:18 A.M.—­A sharp lookout for submarines was kept aboard the Lusitania as she approached the Irish coast, according to Ernest Cowper, a Toronto newspaper man, who was among the survivors landed at Queenstown.

He said that after the ship was torpedoed there was no panic among the crew, but that they went about the work of getting passengers into the boats in a prompt and efficient manner.

“As we neared the coast of Ireland,” said Mr. Cowper, “we all joined in the lookout, for a possible attack by a submarine was the sole topic of conversation.

“I was chatting with a friend at the rail about 2 o’clock, when suddenly I caught a glimpse of the conning tower of a submarine about a thousand yards distant.  I immediately called my friend’s attention to it.  Immediately we both saw the track of a torpedo, followed almost instantly by an explosion.  Portions of splintered hull were sent flying into the air, and then another torpedo struck.  The ship began to list to starboard.

“The crew at once proceeded to get the passengers into boats in an orderly, prompt, and efficient manner.  Miss Helen Smith appealed to me to save her.  I placed her in a boat and saw her safely away.  I got into one of the last boats to leave.

“Some of the boats could not be launched, as the vessel was sinking.  There was a large number of women and children in the second cabin.  Forty of the children were less than a year old.”

From interviews with passengers it appears that when the torpedoes burst they sent forth suffocating fumes, which had their effect on the passengers, causing some of them to lose consciousness.