The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-25
j BOAT ACT SHOWS
PLEDGE TO U.s.. KEPT
British Horse Transport Sunk
After Warning and Crews
Escape.
A CHASE FOR "a MILES

wAsHrNGroS. Sept PA report %
procedure by n German submarine re-
ceived at the state Department H. 70.
garded by officials a. tending to confirm
reports from Berlin that tho German
Government has effected material modt.
fcations in It's orders to commanders of
undersea boats.
Consul Frost at Queenstown reports
that in the case OF the British horse
transport Anglo-Colombian n submarine
gave ample warning and plenty Of tim
for the crew to set INTO boats before tor
pedoing the vessel this morning after
having chased the merchantmen seven
t~y-eight miles.
The action OF the German submarine
commander strengthens the conviction
of officials that there will soon bc a anal
and satisfactory adjustment Of the con-
troversy between the United states and
Germany.
In previous cases submarine com
manders have not hesitatcd to shell mcr-
chantmen who attempted to escape. THIS
Government has conceded that such was
the right Of any warship IL a merchant
man failed to stop when slgnalled TO
/ do so.
That the submarine commander did
not torpedo the transport Anglo-Colom-
bian forthwith upon overtaking her Is re
garded as strongly indicating that he
had instructions to exercise extreme care
and to make no mistakes that would he
liable TO complicate relations between the
two Governments
officials here assert that the sub.
marine that torpedoed the Anglo-Colom-
bian proceeded in almost perfect accord
with the rules of international law. the
only departure being that the crew were
compelled 10 accept their small boats as
a place of safety" whereas the general
| rule is that passengers and crew shall
be taken aboard the belligercnt vessel.
This Of course Is impossible In the case
of submarines.
Consul F'rost's report on the case was
as follows
British horse transport Auglo-Colom-
bian, from Montreal for England. TO
pedoed OF Fastnet after chase Of seven
ty-eight miles at 300 tins morning.
Fair warning given in time to- take to
the boats. Six Americans on board.
No casualties"
1t was also suggested that the eN-
PLANTATION OF the submarines failure to
apply drastic measures to the fleeing
merchantmen may have been 70. the
| reason that tho und"rsea boat had 10
, guns mounted OF it's deck. This WAS
not considered probable. however. ~
the general understanding is that aB.
German submarines in operation are
equipped will deck guns Of sufficient
slz' to shell a mcrChau'mau effectively
The action OF the Germau submarine
which attacked the Auglu-Coiombian IL
believed 10 be In accordance with tn.
! pledge made IN the lehman note on the
case Of th" Arabic rs follows:
according to his rSt uotiou-. ire
commando was not allowed To attac>
the Arabic without warming and Thu
out saving the lives unless the ship i'-
tempted to escape OF offered resistance
In the Frye note. made public ycs,cr-
day, Germany gave further evidence ~
a disposition to comply with the pine
ciples OF International law is tp warn
ing n search asserted IN the various
communications forwarded to Berlin h..
the state Department. In Ia, Frye note
, tn" Berlin Government said lu part.
The German Governments, iu order to
furnish to the Nm. pan Government cv.-
denee Of its couc.l.dtpry attitude. has is
sued orders t. the German naval forces
not TO destroy American merchantmen
which have loaded conditional contra
band even when the conditions ol inter
national law are present, hu, - permit
them TO continue the voyage uUhiu-
dered II II j. not possible to take tncm
into port.