Soon after the declaration of war, Germany sent over machinery for tripling the efficiency of the plant, _via_ Holland, and the transmitters were increased to a hundred Kilowatts. The whole plant was in the hands of experts drawn from the German Navy.
On April 22nd, 1915, the German Ambassador at Washington, by direction of Baron von Bernstorff, inserted notices by way of advertisement warning travellers not to go in ships flying the British flag or that of her Allies, whilst many of the ill-fated passengers received personally private warnings; for example, Mr. A. G. Vanderbilt had one signed "Morte."
It is also stated than one of the German spies who had helped to conceive this diabolical scheme actually dined, the same evening the vessel sailed, at the home of one of his American victims.
The sinking of the vessel was also published in the Berlin newspapers before she had actually been attacked.
On reaching the edge of the war-zone, Captain Turner, who was in charge of the _Lusitania_, sent out a wireless message for instructions in accordance with his special orders.
By some means unknown the German Government had stolen a copy of the secret code used by the British Admiralty.
A copy of this had been supplied to Sayville, which used it (_inter alia_) to warn Captain Turner against submarines off the Irish coast--which evidence was revealed at the inquest.
Sayville was very much on the alert, looking out for and expecting Captain Turner's request for orders.
As soon as it was picked up the return answer was flashed to "proceed to a point _ten miles_ south of Old Head of Kinsale and run into St. George's Channel, making Liverpool bar at midnight."
The British Admiralty also received Captain Turner's call and sent directions "to proceed to a point _seventy to eighty miles_ south of Old Head of Kinsale and there meet convoy."
But the British were slow and the Germans rapid. Captain Turner received the false message instead of the genuine one, and over a thousand unfortunate beings were sent to their doom.
At the inquest the two messages were produced and the treachery became apparent. Further investigations pointed direct to Sayville, Long Island, New York, to which place the plot was traced.