Evening star., 1915-11-20
ANCONA DESTROYER
OWNED BY AUSTRIA
italian Government Satisfied
the Submarine Was Not of
German Fleet.
U. S. AMBASSADOR AT ROME
NOTIFIED BY OFFICIALS S
Officials at Vienna Assert Their
Country Is Not Bound by Count
Won Bernstorff's Promise.

The Italian foreign Office has notified
American Ambassador Page at Rome
that it has no reason to believe the
submarine which sunk the liner Ancona
November Z. with the loss of several
Americans, was other than an Aus
trian. This with the Austrian govern
ment's acknowledgment of the act
clears up the last possibility that it
might have been a German boat
The Italian government also informed
Ambassador Page that it has made no
contention that the submarine was
German.
Contention of Austria,
VIENNA, November Il, by courier
to Berlin and London, November 20
Discussing informally the sinking Of
the Italian steamship Ancona, Austrian
officials have asserted that even if the
vessel was sunk without warming the
case would have different aspect than
1t would have if German and not an
Austrian submarine were involved, in
asmuch as the American warning fol-
lowing the sinking of the Lusitania
and Arabic was directed to Germany
alone and was not communicated to
the Austrian government in any way.
Hence. the Austrians contend, the
foundation would have to be laid anew
If the United States felt moved to take
any action in the Ancona case, since
Austria was not bound by promises
made to the Washington government
by Count Won Bernstorff, the German
ambassador. after the sinking of the
Arabic. e
Inc newspapers have not commented
upon the case except in cursory man
ner and have not discussed it at all
since the publication of the officiaI
statement issued by the admiralty rela-,
tive to the Ancona. The public appears
little interested
Statement by Ancona's CAPTAIN.
LONDON. November 2o.-A dispatcb
to the Daily. Telegraph from Milan
gives the deposition Of Capt. Massardo
OF the italian steamer Ancona. which
was recently sunk in the Mediterranean
by submarine. The deposition was
taken by a commission for the Italian
government on the arrival of the
vivors. who also were separately ex-
amineu by the commission before ti1ey1
were allowed TO land. The deposition
of the captaiq says: -.
marine was sighted ell struck the
sea twenty yards from N,y ship. The
submarine was then sevtH.l kilometers
away. 1t steamed toward us, firing
fufiously. aiming especially at our wire
iess' ..9 which 1 saw cut and dangling.
Il ordered the boats lowered. The
passengers were panic-stricken and be-
yond control. The first boat capsized
and all the occupants were drowned.
Ihe .,i second lifeboat had hardly reached
tne water when 1t was struck by a
SMELL. The third was finally lowered.
after an accident which had caused sey,
eral persons to fall overheard.
Submarine Continues she1ling.
THE submarine kept shelline us
until the Ancona ceased moving, and
only stopped. firing when she was
within 200 yards of US. BY then near,
ly all on board already were in the
boats or had jumped overheard with
life belts
The shells had taken the Ancona by
enfilade from Prov to stern, and had
traversed the officers saloon and sew
eral cabins Going through, I found
about thirty people still on board, and
gave the order for the last Iifeboat to
be lowered with the second officer,
some OF the crew and the rest of the
passengers
The submarine then discharged a tor
pedo. / stood on deck waiting for the
shock. The torpedo hit us forward be-
tween the first and second watertixht
compartments. The terrific shock made
a gaping hole and the vessel began to
sink ~
1T was at this moment that the sub
marine, large boat. whose nationality
was then unknown to me, hoisted an en-
tlreiy new flag of the Austrian colors
Sea Uttered" With People.
The first officer and myself started To
climb down cable. but the side of the
steamer rose in the air, and we were
obliged to jump into the sea and swim
to lifeboat The sea was Uttered
with people and wreckage We saved
several more. Meantime the Ancona
sank.
we continually sent up signals, but
it was not until the following morning
that we met the French steamer Plu-
ton. which took the occupants of Ave
lifeboats and left us. We continued
our route southwark and in the even
ing landed nthe Island of Zembra"