The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-06-10
GERMANY SENDS
REGRETS FOR ACTS
APOLOGIES FOR ATTACK ON
GULFLIGHT AND CUSHING. !"
ADMITS A MISTAKE WAS MADE
Note from Berlin Promises Financial
Observation-Disclosures Mistook
GuIflIght for an English Vessel
because of Environments.

Washington, June 5.-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 Amer
lean vessels Gulf1ight 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: y
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 LulHight and Cushing, has
led to the following conclusions:
In regard to the attack on the steam.
er Gulfikght, the commander of a Ger
man submarine saw on the afternoon
of May l, In the Vicinity of the Sciily
Islands q large merchant steamer com.
ing In his direction which was accom-
panied by two smaller vessels. These
latter took suhposition in relation to
the steamer that they formed a regu-
lation safeguard against submarines,
moreover, one of them had a wireless
apparatus, which is. not usual with
small vessels. From this it evidently
was case of English convoy vessels.
Since such vessels are regularly
armed the submarine could nos ap
proach the steamer on the surface OF
the water without running the danger
of destruction. 1t 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 1t of any kind, that
is, distinctive marks painted on the
freeboSrd recognizable at 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
steamer, so he submerged and at
tackled.
That the attacked steamer carried
the American flag was first observed
at the moment of firing Che shot. The
fact that the steamship was pursuing
a course which led neither to nor from
America was a further reason why il
did not occur to the commander o.
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, &C
cording to the attending circum
stances, that the attack is to be at
tributed to an unfortunate acciden
and not to the fault of the commander
The German government expresses
its regrets to the government of tn,
United States concerning this inciden
and declares itself ready to furnish
recompense for the damage thereb,
sustained by American citizens. 1t Il
left to TIE discretion of the American
government to present a statemen
of this damage or, If doubts may arts,
over individual points, to designate al
expert who would have to determin,
together with a German expert tn,
amount of the damage.
1t has not been possible by mean
of an inquiry to clear up fully the cas-,
OF the American ship Cushing. Officia
reports available report only one mel
chant steamship attacked by a Ger
man flying machine in the vicinity o
Nordhisd lightship.
The German aviator was forced t
consider the vessel as hostile, becaus,
it carried no flag and further, becaus,
of no recognizable neutral markings
The attack of four bombs was, o
course, not aimed at any American
ship.
However, that the ship attacked wa
the American steamer Gushing is pos
sible, considering the time and plac,
of the occurrence; nevertheless, tn,
German government accordingly re
quests Of the American government
that it communicate to the German
government the material which wa
submitted for Judgment, in order tina
with this as basis, a further position
can be taken in the matter.