The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-12-31
AUSTR|ANS PUN
|SH COMMANDER
AUSTRIA'S REPLY
TO SEC. LANSING

American lives, is forwarded to Reti
ter's Telegram company from vienna
bv way of Amsterdam. The not
says:
I'm reply to the second American
Ancona note the Austro-H o-Hungariar
government fully agrees with the
Washington cabinet that the sacred
laws of humanity should be taker
into account also in war, and empha'
sizes that it, in the course Of this
war, has given numerous proofs OF
the most humane feelings.
THE Austro- Hungarian govern
ment, too, can positively concur IN
the principle that enemy private ves-
sells so far as they do not fly or offer
resistance, shall not be destroyed be-
fore the persons aboard are secured.
"The assurance that the United
States government attaches value to
the maintenance of the existing good
relations between Austria Hungary
and the United States is warmly
reciprocated by the Austro- Hunga-
rian government, which now, as here
tofore, is anxious to render these
relations still more cordial"
The Austro Hungarian govern
ment then communicates the results
of the inquiry into the sinking of
the Aneona, which was recently con-
cluded.
The inquiry showed that the COM
mander of the submarine from a
great distance, in the first instance,
fired warning shot on the steamer
which he at first believed was
transport steamer, at the same time
giving signal for the vessel to stop.
As the steamer failed to stop, and
tried to escape, the submarine gave
chase and fired l6 shells, of which
three were observed to hit. The
steamer stopped only after the third
hit, whereupon the commander
ceased firing.
Already during the fight, it is
declared, when at full speed, the
steamer dropped several boats filed
with people. which at once capsized
After the steamer stopped, the sub
marine observed that six boats were
fully manned, and they speedily
rowed away from the steamer.
Approaching nearer, the command
er of the submarine saw that a great
panic prevailed aboard the steamer
and that he had before him the pas
senger vessel Ancona, on account of
which he gave those aboard more
time than was necessary 20 leave the
vessel in life-boats.
At least ten lifeboats were still
aboard, which would have more than
sufiiced to rescue the persons still on
the vessel, but as no other prepara.
tions were made to hoist out the
boats, the commander decided, after
the expiration of As minutes, to tor.
pedo the vessel in such manner that
il ought to remain ahoat for a still
longer time, in order to leave sufii-
cient 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
steamer to be an enemy cruiser, had
TO reckon with an attack, he sub.
merged at l2:35, firing a torpedo into
the foremost cargo hold Of the An
coma. No more boats aboard the
vessel were lowered, although per-
sons were still visible aboard.
The steamer sank so slowly that
the submarine commander at first
doubted whether the steamer would
sink. Only az l:20 O'Clock did il
sink. bow first.
During these further IS minutes.
L Is averred. all the persons aboard
'ould have been saved with the
available life-boats. From the cir
that this did not occur.
he commander concluded that the
rev, contrary 20 all the rules of the
.eas. accomplished their own rescue
n the first boats and left the pas
.engers 20 themselves.
The entire loss Of life. the note
cts forth. cannot b. attributable in
he first instance 30 the sinking u
he vessel, but IN some degree e. the
ropping Of the first boats while the
teamer was proceeding az fun speed
nd 90 the fact that the crew thought
My Of their own safety and did not
escue the passengers from the cap
ized boats. though also o. the shells
.hich hit the fleeing vessel But the
cath of the persons drowned with
hc sinking vessel, must. above aH.
2 ascribed 10 the "culpabie behavior
{ the crew
The Austrian reply then states that
b. American note In several points
based on imcorreet suppositions. /
nd descfibes as iucurreft that
leM was a. oBee fired. that the sub
larine. on pursuit. orertpak the
.eamer. that only q short time uas
bowed for those aboard - enter
b. huats and that sereral shats
ere fired en- ere steamer. etea after
Rad stopped
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