The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-18
UPH0lDS SUBMARINE ACTION.
AUSTRIAN ADMIRALTY WILL NOT
DISAVOW SINKING OF
ANCONA.
Naval Authorities Approve Act of
Submarine Captain-Reply to
American Note to Be Announced
Wednesday.

Vienna, Dec. IA Courier to Berlin,
via London, Dec. 15).-The Austro-
Hungarian admiralty is entirely op-
posed to any disavowal Of the course
of the submarine commander who was
responsible for sinking of the Italian
steamer AncOna. On the contrary, it
approves of his conduct fully and
declared that he would have been,
considered as having failed to perform
his duty if he had allowed the Ancona
to escape.
The reply to the American note, it
is understood. will be delivered soon,
possibly Wednesday.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press has not been able to secure
forecast of the terms of the reply,
but all indications are thar a pessi-
,mistic view of the situation is JUS
titled.
The admiralty today stated it's case
and attitude of the naval authorities
as follows:
1t is a submarine commanders
duty to make n report to the desig-
mated base as soon as possible, and
the commander who sank the Ancona
did this as soon as he was within
wireless distance of land. He made a
supplementary report at Pola and ac-
companied it with his log. No exam
ination Of the crew was held, because
the commanders report was consid-
cred complete and there was no rea-
son to suppose that the crew could
add anything thereto ....
SO far as the commander is con-
'cerned his course is clear If the ad-
miralty had found that the command
er has done anything contrary to his
instructions it would spontaneously
institute an investigation against him
without waiting for any 'emand to-
come from some foreign government,
1t can happen that a commander in
heat Of battle deals contrary to in
struction, but nothing of the kind
has occurred in this case.
1t appears clearly from his re-
port that his ship was in danger, in
deed, in double danger, first from the
fact that an enemy was approaching
on line that threatened to cut off
his retreat and the enemy ship and
the Ancona could have escaped his
radius of action and could set a tor
pedo boat tlotilla on him, and, second,
there was danger Of the Ancona es-
Gaping, which, according to his in
structions, was to be prevented in all
circumstances. Hence the conduct of
the commander, much as the loss of
innocent lives must be regretted and
deplored, can not be disapproved.
ION the contrary. if he had de-
parted without destroying the An
coma 1T would have been failure in
his duty since the Ancona could have
notified other ships Of his where
abouts. The loss of American lives
is regrettable, as we'll as that Ameri-
cans used vessel belonging to a ma
ton at war with Austria Hungary"
"A naval writer and expert said to
the Associated Press correspondent
nCCin ID
the American note:
1T should be remembered thar
Austria's fleet is her favorite child.
Its honor and prestige are treasured
to the highest degree. The govern
ment might possibly yield points i'm
a matter affecting the army, but dis
avowal of an act of an Austrian naval
officer is hardly thinlab1e in any but
tain that it would have be a very
extreme case, indeed, which could
justify in the eyes Of all Austrians
any humiliation Of a naval officer at
the behest of foreign power"
The American note relating to the
Ancona has not yet been published
ny inc austrian newspapers, hence
the contents of the note are known to
only Il few Of the most prominent off,
cials. One Of the leading men in
Vienna has summed up the situation
for the Associated Press as follows:
My position requires me to keep
In close touch with public affairs
There is no doubt what w that sem
tlment Is with us. Whether the
United States breaks off relations
with Austria Hungary rests entirely
with her.
"Amcrca could not injurc us much
more as an open enemy than she al
ready has done. She has supplied mu-
hitionS of war To our enemies and bc-