sinking of the SS ARTIST - leaflet

The following text is from what I assume is a wartime leaflet. The source for the original pdf file was sourced from the University of Colorado library WW1 digital collection.

Murder Again !

Now that the shadow of disaster hangs over her, Germany

resorts to deeds of shame such as the world has never known.

The Secretary of the British Admiralty makes the following

announcement :—

The British ss. " Artist," when 48 miles from land in a

heavy easterly gale, was torpedoed by a German submarine

on Saturday morning, January 27th. In response to her

appeal, sent by wireless, " S.O.S., sinking quickly," auxiliary

patrol craft proceeded to the spot and searched the vicinity,

but found no trace of the vessel or her survivors.

Three days later the ss. " Luchana " picked up a boat

containing 16 of the survivors. The boat had originally contained

23, but seven had died of wounds and exposure, and

were buried at sea. The surviving 16 were landed, and of

these five were suffering from severe frostbite and one from

a broken arm.

The crew had been forced to abandon their ship in open

boats in a midwinter gale, and utterly without means of

reaching land or succour.

Those of them who perished during those three days of

bitter exposure were murdered, and to pretend that anything

was done to ensure their safety would be sheer hypocrisy.

The pledge given by Germany to the United States not

to sink merchant ships without ensuring the safety of the

passengers and crews has been broken before, but never in

circumstances of more cold-blooded brutality.

Printed in Great Britain by Sir Joseph Cattston & Snns, Ltd., 9, Eastcheap, London, E.C.