Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-12-31
REUTERS VERSION
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still longer time. in order to leave suf-
ficient opportunity for the people still
aboard to be rescued.
Shortly afterwards a steamer be-
came visible, which steamed toward
the submarine. AS the commander of
the submarine who believed the steam
err to be an enemy cruiser. had to reck-
on with an attack, he submerged at
1895 firing torpedo into the foremost
cargo hold Of the Ancona. No boats
aboard the vessel were lowered. al
though persons were still visible
aboard.
The steamer sank so slowly that the
submarine commander at first doubted
whether the steamer would sink. on
ly at 1.2O o'clock did it sink bow first.
Holds Crew Responsible
During these further IS minutes, il is
have easily been saved with the available
i.verred, all the persons aboard coulo
boats. From the circumstances that this
did not occur the Commander concluded
that the crew, contrary to all the rules
of the seas, accomplished their own res
cue in the first boats and lett the pas
sengers to themselves. The entire loss
of life. the note sets forth. cannot be
attributable in the first instance to the
sinking of the vessel, but in some degree
to the dropping of the first boats while
the steamer was proceeding at full speed
and to the fact the crew only thought of
their own safety and did not rescue the
passengers from the capsized boats
though also to the shells which hit the
fleeing vessel. But the death of the
persons drowned with the sinking
sci, must above all, be ascribed to the
"Culpable behavior of the crew.
Contentious
The Austrian reply then states that the
American note in several points is based
on incorrect suppositions. and describes
as incorrect that a shell was at once
fired: tina, the submarine in pursuit,
overlook the steamer that only short
time was allowed for those aboard to EN-
ter the boats and that several shots We're
fred on the steamer even after ii had
stopped.
Hopes Incident Ended
The Austrian reply further expresses
the hope that Washington will be able
to supply the particulars Of how the
American citizens We're affected, but
in the event of such evidence being
! lacking and the United States being
unable to state how the American cit
| iZens came to their death. the Austro
Hungarian government lis ready to
pass lightly over this deficiency and
indemnify for damages. whose proxi
mate cause cannot he fixed and hopes
thereby that the incident will be re-
garded as ended.
"Austro- Hungary does not hesitate
in view of the circumstances to draw
the appropriate conclusion concerning
the indemnifying of American citizens
affected by the sinking of the prize,
! but for the damage caused by the
doubtlessly justified firing on the flee
ing vessel the Austro- Hungarian gov
eminent cannot we'll be made RESPONSE
bic for the DANA ges which resulted
from the incorrect Decentralization or
the tapSiZirg Of the lowered boats be-
fore the torpedo was fired.
THE Austro-Hungarian government
must suppose that the Washington
cabinet is able and willing to commu-
nlcate TO the Austro- Hungarian cabi-
net tn" necessary information referring
thereto. But i'll case appropriate evil
dence is lacking and the United States
government should not have KNOWLEDGE
of the particulars of how the Amer
lean citizens came to grief, the Austro-
Hungarian government in considera-
ton of the incident which. from hui
name standpoint is deeply to be re-
Nv, Nc,
more to manifest its friendly feelings
toward the United States is ready and
prepared to pass lightly over this de-
ficiency of evidence and also to in
demnify for damages whose proximate
cause could not be fixed
Hoping that the Ancona incident
can now be regarded as cleared up the
Austro-HunSarian government makes
provision to submit for discussion at
later moment these difficult internal
ticnal questions which are connected
with submarine warfare
The commander of the submarine.
the note continues, allowed the steam
er more time than was necessary for
the passengers to take to the boats
and then torpedoed the vessel in such
a manner that it would remain af1oat
as long as possible to enable the pas
sengers to disembark-"An object
which would have been obtained if the
passengers had not been forsaken by
the crew."
Fully appreciating the attitude of
the commander. who had in view the
rescue of the passengers and crew"
says the note the Austro Hungarian
naval authorities had arrived at the
conclusion that he apparently neglect
ed to take sufficiently into considera-
ton the panic among tte passengers,
which rendered Decentralization more
difficult and the spirit of the regula-
lions that Austro- Hungary naval Off
GERS should refuse assistance to no one
in distress. even an enemy. The officer
was therefore punished for violating
the instructions embodied in force for
such cases."