[SMARTY]

I don't remember where, but I think I read the the Lusitania was transporting war materiel. Lumber was being transported as ballast.

[Robert A Cook PE]

I don't remember where, but I think I read the Lusitania was transporting war materiel. Lumber was being transported as ballast.

I understood that it was “always” known that a “some” munitions were aboard (cases of weapons ?) but only a small amount, and that the amount (or kind) of listed weapons should not have either caused that big of an explosion, or that the second explosion was in the wrong place for what was listed.

??

Coal dust exploding is usually associated with the USS Maine explosion in Havana, not the Lusitania. (Rickover's analysis ?)

[Jimmy Valentine]

There is a very good book about this "The Sinking of the Lusitania".

The author examined manifests and tracked them backto manufacturers. His conclusion is that the ship was carrying not only ammunition but gun cotton packed in boxes marked as cheese.

When the sea water hit the gun cotton it set it off and blew out the bottom of the ship.

The author also makes a strong case that the ship had been outfitted as an auxiliary cruiser.

Interestingly, he also hints that she was guided toward the submarine; the British hoping that the ships sinking would induce Wilson to declare war.