New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-15
GERMANY DENIES
RESPONSIBILITY
FOR HESPERIAN
Asserts in Note to Gerard
That Mine, Not U-Boat,
Sank Liner.
NO SUBMARINE NEAR
SCENE OF DISASTER
Berlin Also Declares Violence
and Location of Explosion
Indicate Mine.

Berlin, Sept. 1.-THE German gov
ernment, in a note from the Foreign
Office to Ambassador Gerard, delivered
at noon to-day, made a qualified dis
claimer Of responsibility for the sink
ing of the steamship Hesperian.
The communication is a preliminary
note, which may be supplemented when
all the facts in connection with the
Hesperian incident are established
definitely. The German government
states that, on the basis Of the infor-
nation thus far obtained, the theory
that the Hesperian was sunk by Ger
man submarine apparently may be
abandoned absolutely.
II is said that official records show
no submarine could have been in the
vicinity of the Eesperian at the time
she was blown up. Furthermore. the
point is made that the violence of the
explosion and the place in which the
steamship was struck, IS set forth IN
the accounts of the disaster, indicate
that il was due 10 a mine.
Germany's Denial of Responsibility.
The German position, as semi-otii-
cially stated, follows:
"As we are informed from a COM
petent source, the news already re-
ceived. taken in connection with facts
officially known, seems to exclude al
most absolutely the possibility that a
German submarine could under any
circumstances have been concerned IN
sinking the British passenger steamer
Hesperian.
"Firstly. according to the prear-
ranged distribution, no German sub
marine could have been on September
4 in that part of the ocean in which the
Hesperian sank.
"Furthermore, the explosion, accord
ing to descriptions received from Brit
ish sources, was of such a nature as
10 indicate from it's effects that il was
rather of a mine than of torpedo.
"The circumstances that, according
TO these descriptions, the vessel was
struck near the bow and that the bow
compartments filled with water go 10
confirm this assumption"
The ncte contains, in addition to the
statements thus made officially,
a paragraph saying that all the SUB
marines that were at sea on September
4 have not yet returned, but that there
is nc reason to expect that the reports
which they will supply will change the
situation.
The note Is a simple recital OF the
facts as the German government sees
them, without any expression OF sentl-
ment or comment on the German sub
marine policy.
Think Note Will Remove Tension.
II is believed here that the Hes
erian note will go far toward re-
moving one factor of possible tension
in the German-American negotiations
regarding submarine warfare. In this
rote the German government in
dicates two reasons for its faith that
the Hesperian was not torpedoed.
Other reasons, even stronger, exist,
TO which il is difficult TO refer, owing
20 the limitations imposed by the
censorship.
The political leaders OF Germany
cxnress themselves as confident that
the possibility for future error or ac-
oident with respect to the sinking Of
liners without warning has been mini
mized. They hope that the Arabic
case may be settled on the basis of
Germany's offer 20 refer the question
Il reparation to the Hague. and that
the difficulties with the United States
over the submarine question, II they
still exists, may be eliminated by rea-
son of the instructions issued TO sub
marine commanders, which are in
clear, well defined form.
Ever since the Allan Line steamer
Hesperian. bound from Liverpool for
Montreal, was blown up and later sunk
seventy miles southwest of Fastnet,
England, on the evening of September
4. with the loss Of seventeen lives,
there has been doubt in the minds OF
Americans as 10 whether the vessel
was the victim of German submarine
or OF a mine. Conflicting reports from
all sources followed the sinking Of the
Hesperian, and the mystery surround
ing the accident is by no means yet
cleared NJ.
Although an invalided Canadian SOL
der Oh board was at first reported TO
have seen submarine and 70 have
shouted a warning to the Hesperlan's
CAPTAIN Just before the explosion oc-
Cured. the Allan Line soon afterward
issued a statement denying that any
person on boe-G had seen submarine
or TORPEDO.
In the foregoing communication the
German government points out that the
violence Of the explosion and the place
in which the steamship was struck in
dicate that it was due TO a mine. Ac-
counts by passengers and members Of
the crew unite in placing the scene OF
the explosion in forward bulkhead on
the starboaTd side.
That the force Of the explosion was
greater than that usually caused by a
torpedo was indicated by the state
ments OF several passengers that col =
umn Of water was thrown up as high
as the top Of the ships mast. as well as
by the fact that twenty persons were
..i.,rnA h. The nnnact.