Bisbee daily review., 1915-12-31
Austria Explains
Sinking of Ancona
In Long Statement
Reuters Version of Austrian
Answer to Second Ameri-
can Note Indicates a Way
to be Paved for Settlement.
CLAIMS ANCONA DID
NOT STOP AT SIGNAL.
Dual Monarchy Protests De-
sire to Remain on Friendly
Terms with America and
Asserts Her Acts Prove it.

ASSStlS A1ST ACtS TTOVe II.
The Austrian note was sent from
Vienna by Reuters The note says:
'ln reply to the second American
Ancona note the Austro-Hunearian
government fully agrees with the
Washington cabinet that the sacred
laws of humanity should be taken in
TO account also in war and emphasizes
that IT, in the course of this war, has
given numerous proofs of its most
humane feeling.
The Austro-Hugarian government
too, can positively concur in the prin-
ciple that the enemy private vessels,
so far as they do not fly or offer re-
sistance, shall not be destroyed be.
fore the persons aboard are secured.
The assurance that the United
States government attaches value to
the maintenance of existing good re-
latios between Austria-Hungary and
the United States is warmly recipro-
Gated by the AustroH Hungarian gov
eminent, which now, as heretofore. is
anxious to render this relation stin
more cordial
The AustrO-HungaIsua government
then communicates the results Of the
inquiry into the sinking of the Ancona
which it recently concluded.
The inquiry showed that the com
mander Of the submarine from great
distance i'm the first instance, fired
warning shot ON the steamt~ sighted
at 11:4O in the forenoon, which he
first believed to be a transport steam
er, at the same time giving the signal
for the vessel to stop.
As the steamer failed TO stop and
tried to escape, the submarine gave
chase and fired l6 shells at the steam
err of which three were observed to
hit The steamer only stopped after
the third hit, whereupon the command
err of the submarine ceased firing
During the flight, it is declared,
when at full speed ahead, the steamer
dropped several boats filled with peo-
pie.
The boats were filled with people,
which at once capsized. After the
steamer stopped, the commander of
the submarine observed that six boats
We're fully manned and they speedily
dowed away from the steamer.
Approaching nearer the command
er 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 ne gave those aboard more
time than was necessary to leave the
vessel in lifeboats. AT least ten life
boats We're still aboard, which more
than suficed TO rescue the persons
stll on the vessel, but as no other
preparations were made to hoist out
boats, the commander decided after
the expiration Of forty-fye minutes, to
torpedo the vessel in such a manner
that 1t ought 10 remain afoat for a
longer time i'm order TO leave sufi
cieut 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 stea-
mer TO be an enemy cruiser, had 10
reckon with attack. he submarced at
1885 firing a torpedo into the fore
most cargo hold of the Ancona. No
more boats aboard the vessel were
lowered, although persons were still
visible aboard. The steamer sank so
slowly that the submarine comment
er at first doubted whether the steam
er would sink Only at 1920 o'clock
did il sinkh bow first
During these further As minutes, it
is ayerred, an persons aboard could
easily have been saved with the a.
yail8ble boats From the circum-
stances that this did not occur the
commander concluded that the crew
contrary TO all rules of the seas, ac-
complished their own rescue in the
first boats and left the passengers to
themselves.
The entire loss Of life, the note sets
forth cannot be attributed I'm the first
instance TO the sinking of the vessel,
but in some degree TO the dropping Of
the first boats while the vessel was
proceeding at full speed and to the
fact the crew though only Of their
own safety and not the rescue Of pas.
sengers from the capsized boats
though also. to shells which hit the
heeting vessel. But the death OF per-
sons drowned with the sinking Of the
Continued on Page Two.