Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-15


Washington. d. c., July I5.-Ger-
many in an official memorandum
transmitted today from Berlin by Am
bassador Gerard admits that the
American steamer Nebraskan was tor
pedoad by a submarine; expresses re
greet and readiness to make repara-
tion. and assures the United States
that the attack was not meant for the
American flag but is to be considered
ar unfortunate accident"
Secretary Lansing made public the
German memorandum, which dtsposes
Of the question whether the NebrasRan
was struck by a torpedo or by a mine
The German memorandum closes the
incident it was said, except as to the
payment of damages.
The state department made this an
uouncement,
AMBASSADOR Gerard has teIegraphed
to the state department the following
memorandum from the German foreign
Office relative to the damaging of the
American steamer Nebraskan by a
German submarine:
The German government received
from newspaper reports the intelH-
geBce that the American steamer Ne
braskaa had been damaged by mine
or torpedo. on the southwest coast OF
Ireland It therefore started d thorough
Investigation of the case without delay
and from the result Of the inyestiga-
tion it has become Convinced that the
damage to the Nebraskan was caused
by aH attack by a submarine.
Name Not Visible.
"'On the evening Of May 25, last.
the submarine met d steamer bound
westward without a flag and with no
neutral markings on her freeboard,
about 35 nautical miles west Of Fast
net rock; no appliance of any kind for
the Illumination of the flag or mark
ings was to be seen In the twilight,
which had already set in, the name of
the steamer was not visible from the
submarine Since the commander Of
the submarine was obliged to assume
from his wide experience in the area
Of maritime war that only English
steamers, and no neutral steamers
trayersed this war area without flags
and markings, he attacked the vessel
with a torpedo. in the conviction that
he had an enemy vessel before him.
Some time after the shot the com
mandeT saw that the vessel had in the
meantime hOisted the American flag.
As a consequence he, of course. re-
Trained from any further attack. Since
the vessel remained afoat he had no
occasion TO concern himself further
with the boats which had been launch
ed.
1t results from this without
doubt, that attack on the steamer Ne
braskan was not meant for the Ameri-
can flag, nor is it traceable to any
1ault on the part Of the commander
oi the German submarine, but is to
considered an unfortunate accident.
1ae German government expresses its
regret at the occurrence to the govern
ment OF the United States of America
and declares its readiness to make
compensation for the damage thereby
sustained by American citizens.
Letters Six Feet High.
The Official report of the attack for
warded by Ambassador Page after in
Eesugation by Lieutenant John H.
Towers. naval attache of the embassy.
stated that the Neb. askan was in water
ballast. outbound from Liverpool for
Delaware Breakwater, and that al
though her flag had been hauled down
Just after sunset, as is the custom.
taeFe were painted on her sides in let
ters six feet high the words ''Nebras-
Ian, New York"
After the attack the ship headed
ahout for Liverpool, and, conveyed by
British ships, reached the port safely
40 one was seriously hurt in the ex-I
p'osion which left evidences causing
some doubt at first whether the ship
had been struck by a torpedo or a.
nine American naval officers. how
ever, finally came to the conclusion