El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-31

T ONDON, ENG. Dec. 3L-The com
mander Of the Austrian submarine
which sank the Italian liner An
coma has been punished for not taking
sufficiently into account the state Of
panic prevailing on board the passen-
ger ship, which rendered disembarka-
ton more difficult. This is the leading
statement in the Austro-Hungarian
governments reply TO the second
American note on the Ancona incident
disaVOWal Of the commanders act, IN
demnity for American lives lost, assur-
ances that the act would not be repeat
ed. and the punishment Of the COM
mander.
The punishment of the officer is re-
garded as fulfilling one Of the principal
demands, and it may also be regarded
as partial disaToWal The note offers
indemnity for American lives lost,
which meets another contention
statement in the note that the Aus
tro-Hungarian government fully agrees
with the Washington cabinet that the
sacred laws Of humanity should be
taken. into account also in war. and
emphasizes that it, in the course Of this
war, has given numerous proofs OF the
most humane feelings" is regarded here
as intended TO supply the assurance
that the act would not be repeated
Resume of Note.
A resume Of the Austrian govern
ment's reply has been forwarded to
Reuters Telegram company from
Vienna by way Of Amsterdam
The note says:
IN reply TO the second American
AncOna note, the Austro-Hungarian
government fully agrees with the
Washington cabinet that the sacred
laws Of humanity should be taken into
account also in war, and emphasizes
that it. in the course of this war, has
given numerous proofs Of the most hu-
name feelings
The Austro-Hungarian government,
too, can positively concur in the princi-
pie that enemy private vessels, so far
as they do not flee or offer resistance
shall not be destroyed before the per-
sons aboard are secured
Wants Cordial Relations
The assurance that the United states
government attaches value to the main
tenance to the existing good relations
between Austria-Hungary and the
United States. is warmly reciproeated
by the Hungarian government,
which now as heretofore. is anxious to
render these relations stin more cor
dial"
Refers to Americans.
The Austrian reply further expresses
the hope that Washingtonton viii be
able to supply the particulars OF how
the American citizens were affected but
in the event Of such evidence being
lacking and the United States being
unable to state how the American eiti-
zens came to their death. the AustrO-
Hungarian government, "is ready TO
pass lightly over this deficiency and
indemnity for damages, whose proxi- I
mate cause cannot be fixed, and hopes |
thereby that the incident viii be re-
garded as ended
Willing to Pay Indemnity.
The Austrian note, while announcing 1
the willingness OF the Austro-Hun- /
garian government TO pay an 1ndenn- 4
ity for the American victims OF the /
Ancona declares that the government Il
age caused by the justifiable firing on 1
the fleeing vessel or by the capsizing l
of the boats before the torpedo was |
fired"
What Inquiry Disclosed.
The inquiry OF the Austrian government !
into the sinking Of the Aneona, showed that j
the commander Of the submarine from a
great distance IN the first instance. fired a
warning shot at the steamer sighted at 4.
11:48 in the forenoon. which he at first be- I
lieved 10 be q transport steamer, at the
same time giving a signal for the vessel TO @
stop. As the steamer failed 10 stop. and
tried to escape, the submarine gave chase
and fired Is shells at the steamer, OF which !
three were observed to hit The steamer !
stopped only after the third hit. whereupon !
the commander ceased firing
Says Boats Capsized-
During the flight. it IS declared. when at I
full speed, the steamer dropped several .
boats filled with people which eapsized-
Of the submarine observed that six boats
we're fully manned and they speedily rowed
away from the steamer.
Approaching nearer, the commander OF
the submarine saw that a great panic pre-
vailed aboard the steamer and that he had
before him the passenger vessel AncOna-
on account Of which he gave those aboard
more time than was necessary 10 leave the
vessel in lfebOats At least ten lnebOats
were still aboard which would have more
than sufficed to rescue the persons still- on
the vessel, but as no other preparations
were made to hoist out the boats, the com
fnander decided, after the expiration OF IS q
minutes, to torpedo the vessel in such a 4
manner that 1t ought to remain afloat for {
= still longer time in order to leave suff-
cient opportunity for the people still aboard .
TO be rescued
Another Ship Appears.
Shortly afterwards steamer became Wis i
ibie. which steamed toward the submarine.