Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-12-19
FULL TEXT Of THE
AUSTRIAN REPLY
TO ANCONA PROTEST
(Dy United Press Leased wire)

tDy United Press Leased wire.)
Washington, Dec. iS.--~rhe state
department, gave out tho Austrian
reply TO the Anoona note this after
noon.
The text OF this reply to the iirst
American demands follows;
I'm reply to the much esteemed
note. number a.1eT. which His Ex-
collenoy. Mr.. Frederic Q. Penneld.
ambassador extraordinary and minis
ter plenipotentiary OF the United
States OF America, directed to him In
the name OF the American govern
mont under date Of the ninth instant.
In the matter OF the sinking OF the
Italian steamer Ancona, the under
signed. preliminary TO thorough.
meritorious treatment OF tho demand,
has the honor to observe that the
sharpness with which the govern
ment of the United States considers
II necessary to blame the command
Ing officer OF the submarine concern
ed In tho affair and the ilrmness In
which the demands addressed the
imperial and royal government ap-
pear to be expressed. might well have
warranted expectation that the gov
ernment OF the United States should
precisely specify the actual circum-
stances OF the affair upon which II
bases It's case. AS II not difficult TO
perceive. the presentation OF tho facts
In the case In the aforesaid note
leaves room for many doubts; and
even II this presentation were correct
In all points. and the most rigorous
legal conception were applied 10 the
Judgment OF the case. Il does not In
any way sufficiently warrant attach
ing blame to the commanding officer
OF the war vessel or to the imperial
and royal government.
THE government OF the United
States has also failed to designate
The persons upon whose testimony II
.elies and TO whom II apparently be-
ieves II may attribute higher de-
;ree OF credibility than to the COM
nander OF the imperial and royal
ieet.
"The note also fails to give any
whatsoever as to the
number. names and more precise fate
II the American citizens who were
IN board OF the said Italian vessel at
he critical moment.
However. In view OF the fact that
he Washington cabinet has now
made positive statement to the Of
'ect that citizens OF the United /
States OF America came to grief In
he incident In question. the imperial
md royal government Is In principle
.eady to enter into an exchange OF
,iews In the AFFAIR with the govern
nent Of the United States, It must,
nowever, in the tirst place, raise the
question why that government failed
10 give judicial reasons for the de-
nands set forth in its note with ref
,rence to the special circumstances OF
he discriminating evidences upon
which II lays stress and why, In lieu
thereof, 1t referred to an exchange
,f correspondence which II has con-
iucted with another government In
other cases
"The imperial and royal govern
ment is less able to follow the wash
Ington cabinet on this unusual path
since It byno means possesses authen-
tic knowledge OF all Of the pertinent
correspondence Of the government OF
the United States. nor isit OF the opin-
lon that such knowledge might be suf-
licient for II in the present case which
In SO far as II Is informed. is In es-
sential points OF another nature than
the case or cases to which the govern
ment OF the United States seems to
allude. The imperial and royal gov
ernment may, therefore. leave It to
the Washington cabinet to formulate
the particular points OF law against
which the commanding officer OF the
submarine Is alleged to have offend
ed on the occasion Of the sinking OF
the Ancona.
"The government OF the United
States has also seen fit to refer to
the attitude which the Berlin cabinet
In the above mentioned cor
respondence. The imperial and royal
finds In the much es-
teemed note no indication whatever
Of the intent with which the REFER
ence was made. Should, however.
a. .,. s,4 - 4ha Ifnitad gtatpq