Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-06-10

Berlin Promises to Pay Owners
of the GuIfIight.
SHIP DESTROYED BY MISTAKE
kaiser's Government Says the Com
mander of the Submarine Thought
American Vessel Under Con-
voy Of Two British Warships,

Washington, June 1.-The state de-
partment made public the German for
eign Offices reply to the inquiry of the
United States relative to the attacks
by German submarines on the Ameri-
can vessels Gulfight and Cushing. In
transmitting the German reply, Am
bassador Gerard stated to the depart
ment that he had been requested by
the foreign office to use every en-
deavor to get it to the United States
government at once. The German
reply follows:
Referring to the note of May % the
undersigned has the honor to inform
his excellency, the ambassador of the
United States Of America, Mr.. James
W. Gerard, that the examination I'M
dertaken on the part of the German
government concerning the American
steamers Guliight and Cushing, has
led to the following conclusions:
In regard to the attack on the
steamer Gulf1ight, the commander of
German submarine saw on the after
noon Of May I, in the vicinity of the
Scilly islands large merchant steam
er coming in his direction which was
accompanied by two smaller vessels
These latter took subposition in rela-
ton to the steamer that they formed a
regulation safeguard against sub
marines, moreover, one of them had a
wireless apparatus, which is not usual
with small vessels. From this is evil
IDENTIFY was a case of English convoy
vessels.
Since such vessels are regularly
armed the submarine could not ap-
prOach the steamer on the surface of
the water without running the danger
Of destruction. It was, on the other
hand, to be assumed that the steamer
was of considerable value to the Brit
ish government since it was SO. guard
ed. The commander could see no neu-
trail markings on it Of any kind, that
is, distinctive marks painted on the
freeboard recognizable at a distance,
such as are now usual on neutral ships
in the English zone of naval warfare.
In consequence he arrived at the con-
clusion from all the circumstances
that he had to deal with an English
tackled.
THAT the attacked steamer carried
the American flag was first observed
at the moment Of firing the shot. The
fact that the steamship was pursuing
a course which led neither to nor from
America was further reason why it
did not occur to the commander of
the submarine that he was dealing
with an American ship.
upon scrutiny Of the time and place
of the occurrence described, the Ger
man government has become con-
WINGED that the attacked steamship
was actually the American steamship
Gulfight. There can be no doubt, ac-
cording to the attending circum-
stances, that the attack is to be at
tributed to an unfortunate accident
and not to the fault of the commander.
1.-THE German government expresses
its regrets to the government of the
United States concerning this incident
and declares itself ready to furnish
recompense for the damage thereby
sustained by American citizens. 1t is
| left to the discretion of the American
| government to present a statement
Of this damage or, if doubts may arise
over individual points, to designate an
expert who would have to determine
together with a German expert the
| amount of the damage.
ct has not been possible by means
| of an inquiry to clear up fully the case
| of the American ship Gushing. Official
reports available report only one mer-
chant steamship attacked by a Ger
man flying machine in the vicinity of
| Noordhinder lightship.
'The German aviator was forced to
consider the vessel as hostile, because
it carried no flag and further because
of no recognizable neutral markings.
However, that the ship attacked was
the American steamer Cushing is pos
sible, concerning the time and place
of the occurrence; nevertheless, the
German government accordingly re-
quests of the American government
that it communicate to the German
government the material which was
submitted for judgment, in order that
with this as basis, a further position
can be taken in the matter"