Evening star., 1915-12-31

have easily been saved with the available
boats. From the circumstances that this
did not occur. the commander concluded
that the crew. contrary to all the rules
of the sea. accomplished their own rescue
in the first boats and left the passengers
to themselves.
The entire loss of life the note sets
forth. cannot be attributable in the first
instance to the sinking of the vessel. but
in some degree to the dropping of the
first boats while the steamer was pro
ceeding at full speed, and to the fact that
the crew only thought of their own safety
and did not rescue the passengers from
the capsized boats. though also to the
shells which hit the fleeing vessel BUT
the death of the persons drowned with
the sinking vessel must. above all. be
ascribed to the ',culpable behavior of
the crew.
Questions Americas Facts.
The Austrian reply then states that
the American note in several points is
based on incorrect suppositions, and
describes as incorrect that a shell was
at once fired, that the submarine. on
pursuit. overlook the steamer, that
only a short time was allowed for
those aboard to enter the boats and
that several shots were fired on the
steamer even after it had stopped.
The commander of the submarine the
note continues, allowed the steamer
more time than was necessary for the
passengers to take to the boats, and
then torpedoed the vessel in such a
manner that it would remain aioat as
long as possible. to enable the pas
sengers to dsembark-"an object
which would have been obtained if the
passengers had not been forsaken by
the crew"
Fully appreciating the attitude of
the commander, who had in view the
rescue of the passengers and crew."
says the note. the Austro- Hungarian
naval authorIties have arrived at the
conclusion that he apparently neglected
to take sufficiently into considerat ton
the panic among the passengers. which
rendered disem ba rkation more difficult
and the spirit of the regulations that
Austro- Hungarian naval officers should
refuse assistance to no one in distress
even an enemy. The officer was there
fore punished for violating the instruc-
tons embodied in the rules in force
for such ca Ses.
Declines Blame for Debarkation.
The Austro- Hungarian government
does not hesitate, in view of the cir
cumstances, to draw the appropriate
conclusion concerning the indemnifyins
of American citizens affected by the
sinking of the prize, but for the dam
age caused by the doubtlessfy justified
firing on the fleeing vessel the Austro-
Hungarian government carnot well be
made responsible, or for the DANA ges
which resulted from the incorrect dis
embarkation or the capsiZing of the
lowered boats before the torpedo Twas
fired. The Austro- Hungarian govern
ment must suppose that the Washing
ton cabinet is able and willing to COM
municate to the Austro- Hunga ran
cabinet the necessary information re-
ferring thereto.
But III case appropriate evidence is
lacking and the U~ited States govern
ment should not have knowledge of the
particulars of how the American citi-
zens came 10 grief the Austro- Hun
garian government, in consideration of
the incident which, from humane
standpoint. is deeply to be regretted
and. guided by the desire once more to
manifest its friendly feeling toward
the United States. is ready and pre-
pared to pass lightly over this def
cheney of evidence and also to indem-
nifty for damages whose proXimate
cause could not be fixed.
Hoping that the Ancona incident
ca n now be regarded as cleared up the
Austro- Hungarian government makes
provision to submit for discussion a a
later moment these difficult interna-
tional questions which are connected
with submarine warfare"