The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1915-09-17
Berlin Defends
ACT OF U-BOAT'
Sends Note to U. S. on the
Sinking Of Liner.
NO OBLIGATION ADMITTED
This Even if Commander of
Submarine Erred.

Communication Says the officer In
Charge OF the Submarine Was Con-
WINGED That British Steamship Had
Intention OF Attacking and RAM
ming Him-Loss OF American Lives
Deplored-WouId Submit Any Diff
ference OF Opinion To The Hague.
Berlin (via London) I'm its note to
the United States on the sinking of
the White Star liner Arabic the Ger
man government says that it most
deeply regrets that lives were lost
through the action of the commander;
it particularly expresses this regret
to the government of the United States
on account of the death of American
citizens" and adds:
THE German government is unable,
however, to acknowledge any obliga-
ton to grant indemnity in the matter,
even If the commander should have
been mistaken as to the aggressive
intention of the Arabic"
Germany's note to the United States
bearing on the sinking of the White
Star Line steamer Arabic on August
10, which was communicated to the
American Ambassador, James w. Ger
ard, for transmission to Washington,
is in the form of a memorandum under
date Of September Z, and the text of
which follows:
Submarine Feared Attack.
ION August 10 German submarine
stopped the English steamer Dunsley
about Is nautical miles south of Kin
sale, and was on the point of sinking
the prize by gun fire after the crew
had left the vessel At this moment
the commander saw large steamer
making directly toward him This
steamer, as developed later, was the
Arabic. She was recognized as an
enemy vessel, as she did not fly any
AAeNeo c&AAA OOlO ~ uCuIldl
When she approached she altered
her original course, but then again
pointed directly toward the submarine
From this the commander became con-
WINGED that the steamer had the inten-
ton of attacking and ramming him.
"In order to anticipate this attack
he gave orders for the submarine to
dive and fired torpedo at the steam
er. After firing he convinced himself
that the people on board were being
rescued in Is boats.
According to his instructions the
commander was not allowed to at
tack the Arabic without warning and
without saving the lives unless the
ship attempted to escape or offered
resistance. He was forced, however,
to conclude from the attendant cir
cumstances that the Arabic planned a
violent attack on the submarine.
'sThis conclusion is all the more OBJ
vious as he had been fired upon at y
great distance in the Irish Sea on
August 14-that is, few days before
by large passenger steamer, APP
parently belonging to the British
Royal Mail Steam Packet Company,
which he had neither attacked nor
Regrets, But No Indemnity.
1.-THE German government most
deeply regrets that lives were lost
the action of the commander.
II ovrrocoao fhic ~1n.o4
to the government of the United
States on account of the death of
American citizens.
1.-THE German government is I'M
able, however, to acknowledge any
obligation to grant indemnity in the
matter, even if the commander should
have been mistaken as to the agrees
sive intentions of the Arabic.
eff it should prove to be the case
that 1t is impossible for the German
and American governments to reach
a harmonious opinion on this point,
the German government would be pre-
pared to submit the difference Of opin-
ion, as being question of interna-
tional law, to The Hague tribunal for
aIOiII dtAOn' pursuant W dAliCAS 90 OI
The Hague convention for the pacific
settlement of international disputes.
"In so doing it assumes that as a
matter of course the arbitral decision
shall not be admitted to have the i'm
portance of general decision on the
permissibility or the converse under
law Of German sub
marine warfare"