The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-12-17
Must Repudiate "Barbarous "
AnCOna Deed
is VIRTUAL ULTlMATUM
Denounces "Wanton Slaughter OF
Helpless Women and Children
Requires Punishment of Sub
marines Captain.

demand by the United States for
prompt announcement Of the illegal
and indefensible" act; for punish
ment of the submarine commander
and for reparation by the pay
ment of indemnity for the killing Of
innocent American citizens.
The text of the note, which was
handed to the Austrian Foreign Of
flee Thursday by Ambassador Pen
field, follows:
Washington, Dec. u.
dor Penfield.
Department of State,
Washington, Dec. 6, 1915.
Please deliver note to the minis
ter of foreign affairs, textually as
follows:
Reliable information obtained
from American and other survivors
who were passengers on the steam
ship Ancona shows that on Nov. Il
submarine flying the Austro- Hunga'
rian flag fired a solid shot toward the
steamship; that thereupon the An
coma attempted to escape, but, being
overhauled by the submarine, she
stopped: that after a brief period and
before the crew and passengers were
all able to take TO the boats, the sub
marine fired a number of shells at
the vessel and finally torpedoed and
sank her while there were yet many
persons on board; and that by gun
fire and laundering of the vessel
large nuhber of persons lost their
lives or were seriously injured, among
whom were citizens of the United
States.
"The public statement of the Aus
trO- Hungarian Admiralty has been
brought to the attention Of the gov
ernment of the United States, and re-
ceived careful consideration. This
statement substantially confirms the
principal declaration of the surviv-
ors, as it admits that the Ancona, af-
ter being shelled, was torpedoed and
sunk while persons were still on
board.
"The Austro- Hungarian govern
ment has been advised through the
CORRESPONDENTS P'''''NN'
tween the United States and Germany
of the attitude of the government OF
the United States as to the use of sub
marines in attacking vessels OF com
merce and the acquiescence or GER
many in that attitude, yet with full
knowledge on the part of the Austro-
Hungarian government of the views
of the government of the United
States as expressed in no uncertain
terms to the ally OF Austria Hun
gary. the commander Of the subma-
rine which attacked the Ancona failed
TO put in place of safety the crew
and passengers of the vessel which
they purposed to destroy because, it
is presumed, of the impossibility or
taking IL into port as a prize OF war
"The government of the United
States considers that the commander
violated the principles of internation-
nj law and of humanity by shelilnS
and torpedoing the Ancona before
the persons on board had been put IN
a place of safety or even given sum
cient time to leave the vessel.
"The government of the United
States is forced. therefore, to con-
clude that either the commander OF
the submarine acted in violation or
his instructions or that the imperial
and royal government failed to issue
instructions to the commanders or
its submarines in accordance win
the law of nation and the principles
of humanity. The government or
the United States is unwilling to be-
lieye the latter alternative and 10
credit the Austro-H Hungarian govern
ment with an intention to permit Its
submarines to destroy the lives or
helpless men, women and children.
II prefers to believe that the com
mander of the submarine committed
this outrage without authority and
contrary to the general or special IN
structions which he had received.
"As the good relations of the two
countries must rest upon common
regard for law and humanity. the
government of the United States
cannot be expected TO do otherwise
than 10 demand that the imperial
and royal government denounce the
sinking of the Ancona as an illegal
and indefensible act; that the officer
who perpetrated the deed be punish
ed: ard that reparation by the pay
ment of an indemnity be made for
the citizens of the United States who
were killed or injured by the attack
on the vessel.
"The government of the United
States expects that the Austro- Hun
garian government, appreciating the
gravity of the case, will accede to its
demands promptly; and it rests this
expectation on the belief that the
Austro- Hungarian government VIII
not sanction or defend an act which
is condemned by the world as inhu'
name and barbarous, which is abhor'
rent to all civilized nations, anC
which has caused the death OF inno
cent American citizens.
LANSING"