Evening star., 1915-12-31
A ustria-Hungary's Reply.

AuSlfla-dunSary heply.
The reply of the Austrian govern
ment to the second American note on
the sinking of the steamship Ancona,
with the loss of American. lives. is for
warded to Reuters Telegram Company
from Vienna by way of Amsterdam.
The note says:
I'm reply to the second American An
coma note. the Austro- Hungarian gov
ernment fully agrees with the Wash
ington cabinet that the sacred laws of
huma anity should be taken into account
also in war, and empha sizes that it, IN
the course of this war, has given nu-
merous proofs of the most humane
feelings.
THE Austro- Hungarian government.
too. can positively concur in the prln-
ciple that enemy private vessels. SO Tar
they do not fly or offer resistance,
shall not be destroyed before the per-
sons aboard are secured.
The assurance that the United States
government attaches value to the mann
tenance of the existing good relations
between Austria Hungary and the
United States is warmly reciprocated
by the AuStrio- Hungarian government,
which now, is heretofore. is ANXIOUS TO
render these relations still more cor
dial"
The Austro- Hungarian government
then communicates the results of the
inquiry into the sinking of the Ancona,
which was recently concluded.
Only Three Shells Hit.
The inquiry showed that the com
mander Of the submarine from a great
distance in the first instance fred
warning shot on the steamer sighted
at l1:40 in the forenoon, which he at
first believed to be transport steam
er, at the same time giving a signal
for the vessel to stop AS the steamer
failed TO stop and tried to escape. the
submarine gave chase and fired sixteen
shells at the steamer, of which three
were observed to hit. The steamer
only stopped after the third hit,
whereupon the commander ceased FIR
ing.
Already during the flight. it is de-
clared. when at full speed, the steamer
dropped several boats filled with peo-
Pile, which at once capsIZed. After the
steamer stopped. .he commander of the
submarine observed that six boats
were fully manned. and they speedily
rowed away from the steamer.
Approaching nearer, the commander
of the submarine saw that 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 to leave the vessel
in lifeboats.
At least ten lifeboats were still
aboard. which would have more than
sufficed to rescue the persons still on
the vessel, but as no other preparations
were made to hoist out the boats, the
commander decided, after the eXpira
tion of forty-five minutes, to torpedo
the vessel in such a manner that il
ought to remain ahoat for still long
er time in order to leave sufficient
opportunity for the people still aboard
to be rescued.
Thought Cruiser Was Coming.
Shortly afterXard steamer became
visible which steamed toward the sub
ma rine, who believed the steamer to be
marine who believed the steamer to be
an enemy cruiser. had to reckon with
an attack, he submerged at 1885, fir
ing a torpedo into the foremost cargo
hold of the Ancona. No more boats
aboard the vessel were lowered. al
though persons were still visible
aboard.
The steamer sank so slowly that the
submarine commander at first doubt
ed whether the steamer would sink.
ONLY at leo o'clock did it sink, bow
first.
During these further iorty-fve minutes.
II is ayerred all the persons aboard could