Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-05
GERMANY OFFERS
FULL PREPARATION
Expresses Regret That Subma-
rine Torpedoed American
Steamer Gulflight.
AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT"
Not Possible Yet to Clear Up
Fully Case of U. S. Ship
Cushing
AN "UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT"

WASHINGTON. June 4.-Ciermany. in
note cabled to the State Department
to-day by Ambassador Gerard at Ber-
lin, expressed regrets that through IAN
unfortunate accident a German sub
marine had torpedoed the American
steamer Gulhight. and declared itself
ready to furnish full rccompense for
the damage thereby sustained by Amer
lean citizens"
In the same communication. the Ger
man Foreign Office said IL had not been
possible to clear up fully the case Of
the American steamer Gushing, re-
ported attacked by German aero
plane. and asked that the United States
communicate all information In its
possession concerning this incident.
Blame for the attack on the Gulfight
was placed ny the Foreign Office upon
the proximity of two British patrol
boats and the absence from the steam
ers frccbonrd Of tho distinctive mark
ings usually carried by neutral ships
That the attacked steamer carried the
American flag" the note added was
hrst observed at the moment of firing
the shot"
The Gulflight was torpedoed in the
English Channel five weeks ago. while
carrying oil from Port Arthur Tex.
for Rouen, France. She was towed TO
Crows Sound and beached for repairs
Two scamen were drowned when the
crew took 10 the boats, and the can
tain died Of heart trouble the next day.
The expression of regrets and offer
of reparation follow the principle out
lined in circular Germany recently
sent 10 neutral nations disclaiming in
tention of attacking neutral vessels
carrying noncontraband
NOTE SIGNED By MINISTER
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The text Of the note. signed by the
Minister of Foreign Affairs. reads:
referring ia the note of May 2s,
the undersigned has the honor to in
form His EXcellcncy, the ambassador
of the United States of America, Mr..
James w. Gerard. that the examina-
ton undertaken on the part of the
German government concerning tn.
American steamers Gulfiight and Cush-
ing has led 10 the following conclu-
sions:
In regard to the attack on the
steamer GuliiEht, the commander of
a German submarine saw on the after
noon of May ]. in tho vicinity of the
Scilly Islands, a large merchant steam
cr coming in his direction, which was
accompanied by two smaller vessels.
These latter took such position in rela
ton 10 the steamer that they formed
regulation safeguard against sub
marines; moreover, one of them had
a wireless apparatus, which is not usual
with small vessels. From this II was
evidently case of English convoy
vessels, Since such vessels arc regu-
larly armed, the submarine could not
approach the steamer on the surface
of the water without running the dan
ger of destruction. 1t was, on the
other hand. TO be assumed that the
steamer was of considerable value TO
the British government, since il was
so guarded. The commander could see
no neutral markings on ii of any kind.
that is, distinctive marks painted on
the freeboard recognizable at dis
tance such as are now usual on neu-
trail ships in the English zone of naval
warfare. In consequence, he arrived
at the conclusion from all the circum-
stances that he had TO deal with an
English steamer, submerged and at
tackled. The torpedo came in the i'm
mediate neighborhood of one of the
convoy ships. which at once rapidly
approached the point of firing, so that
the submarine was forced 10 go to n
great depth to avoid being rammed
The conclusion of the commander that
an English convoy ship was concerned
was in this way confirmed
UNITED STATES FLAG NOTICED
ONLY WHEN SHOT Is FIRED
That the attacked steamer carried
the American flag was first observed
at the moment of firing the shot.
The fact that the steamship was
pursuing course which led neither TO
nor from America was further reason
why II did not occur to the commander
of the submarine that he was dealing
with an American steamship.
Upon scrutiny of the time and place
of the occurrence described. the Ger
man government has become convinced
mat the attacked steamer was actually
the American steamship Gulhight
There can be no doubt, according TO
the attendant circumstances, that the
attack is 10 be attributed to an un-
fortunate accident. and not to the fault
of the commander.
The German government expresses
Its regrets To the government of the
United states concerning this incident.
and declares itself ready to furnish full
recompense for the damage thereby
sustained by American citizens. 1t is
left to the discretion of the American
government to present statement of
this damage or, If doubts may arise
over individual points to designate an
expert who would have to determine.
together with German expert the
Of the damage.
'lt has not yet been possible by
means of an inquiry to clear up fully
the case of the American ship Cush-
ing. Official reports available report
only one merchant steamship attacked
by German dying machine i'm the vi
cinity OF Nordhind LiGhtship. The Ger
man; aviator was forced to consider the
vessel as hostile because II carried no
fiag and because OF no recognizable
neutral marking. The attack OF four
CONTINUED on Second PagcD
Low, SIDE TRIP FARES tn po,Sno