New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-16

marine had taken the precauuon 70
summon the Nebraskan to stop no
apology would have been necessary, as
the act Of visit would have established
her identity.
Apology Gratuitous.
Germanys apology is regarded as
purely gratuitous, as this government
has never made representations con-
corning the Nebraskan. When the ves-
sci was torpedoed, on May %, she was
struck near the bow and was able 10
nut back 20 port. Pieces Of the shat
tered metal of her hull were sent 10
Washington, with fragments OF "a NINE
or torpedo Naval officers examined
these fragments and concluded that u
was q torpedo and not a mine mat
struck the Nebras kan.
the action of the German Foreign
Office i'm sending the apology before II
was demanded is thought by many Of
fcials TO be d clumsy attempt TO show
good will and a spirit OF falr play
which in this case has proved 20 be
something of a boomerang. Ia the lace
of the rejection Of the principle OF
visit, some officials say, II Will be eH-
tremelv difficult for Jnis government 10
find any basis for friendly note to
Germany on the Lusltanla case.
Secretary Lansing vas in communl-
cation with President Wilson again to-
day, and views were exchanged con
corning the rough draft which the
Secretary IS preparing 10 present -
the President and CABINET n'Xt iues
day Chandler Anderson, special ad'
wiser of the state Department. mas
also prepared a memorandum, at the
Il i . a. N
case from a legal point Of view.
Many officials expressed their ap-
proval Of the Washington dispatch
printed in The Tribune this morning
and stated that il represented as near
" as possible the consensus OF oihclai
opinion here. All agree that the Pres
ident will be guided in his reply TO
Germany by the wishes Of the people
as TO how far he shall 90 in assert
ing American rights on the high seas.
Cannot Limit Rights.
State Department officials ere unani-
nous in asserting that whatever the
character or tone of the note It must
not abandon any of the prin lples Iali
down in previous notes. No limitation
Of the rights Of Americans as already
defined will be considered, but there
is some disagreement as to the form
of the reply. Members OF the CABINET
hold varying views on this Tolnt, ana
will express them at Tuesdays Cabl-
net meeting When the matter has
been fully gone over. however, 1t IS
not believed any serious differences OF
opinion will remain.
Count Won Berustorf, German Am
bassador, Will call on Secretary Lans-
ing tomorrow morning when the stu
alton will be thoroughly discussed and
an effort will be made to ind points
Of agreement between the govern
ments IL is understood Count Won
Bernstorf will be able TO furnish the
Secretary information Cf value IN guld-
ing the United States 20 IN under
standing of the German position.
The Ambassador Will present the
view that Gcrmany's reply was intend
ed 20 pave the way for negotiations
by the United States with Great Britain
as well as Germany 70 adjust ques-
lions that have arisen over coutTabanC
and submarine, as affecting the rights
OF neutrals.
Count won BernstorfF is confident his
government emphasized IN the last note
It's willingness 20 work "haud in hand
with the American government for the
establishment Of the freedom OF the
seas" principle with the express pur-
pose Of entering into negotiations on
the entire question Of maritime war
fare. lie is sure his government would
accept a tender Of good Offices for the
mediation of the dispute. This would
involve an acceptance by Great Britain
Of the services Of the United States as
mediator 90 bring about the termlna-
tion Of the British reprsal the Order
in Council as well as Germany's sub
marine attacks on merchantmen.
OfNcials of the Amer can government
have heard reports concerning possible
mediation of the question, but have al
ways indicated that negotiations along
such lines could be begun only if there
were assurances that in the mean time
German submarine commanders would
be guided by tie principles for which
the United States is contending that
Americans on bcllgerent ships which
are unarmcd and do not resist capture
be not endangered
In official German quarters here en-
Vhasis Is placed on the fact that Ger
many in the last month has not tor
pedoed even enemy ships without warn
ing, and that this practice very prob
ably Will be continued.
Germany's Nebraskan Apology.
Germany action on the Nebraskan
case was made public by the state De-
partmert I1 the following statement:
can bassador Gerard has tclcCraphed
20 the State Department the following
memorandum from the German Foreign
Ofice RELATIVE go the damaging Of the
American steamer Nebraskan by Ger
man submarine:
1.-The German government received
from newspaper reports the Intelligence
that he American steamer NcbraskaQ
rad been damaged by mine or torpedo.
on the southwest coast Of Ireland. IL
therefore started a thorough inycs;iga-
ton Of the case without delay, and
from the result Of the investigation 10
las become convinced that the damage
% the Nebrasksn was caused By an
attack by q submarine.
"'On the evening Of May % last the
submarine met steamer bound west
ward without a flag and with no neu-
tral markings on her freeboard, about
thIrty-fyc nautical miles west Of Fast
net Rock; no appliance OF any kind for
the illumination Of the flag or mark
ings was % be seen. In the twilight,
which had already set in, the name Of
the steamer was not visible from the
submarine.
Since the commander 81 the sub
marine WAS obliged % assume from his
wide experience in the area Of mari
time war thu. only English steamers
and no neutral steamers trayersed this
war area without flag or markings, he
attacked the vessel with q torpedo, In
the conviction that he had an enemy