The Tomahawk., 1916-01-06
nANcFR OF BREAK Ifj RELATIONS
BETWEEN AMERICA AND DUAL
MONARCHY PROBABLY IS
CLEARED AWAY.
READY TO PAY INDEMNITY
FOR ALL AMERICANS LOST,
Reply to Second American Note Ad~
mits Commander Of Austrian Sub
marine Did Not Sufficiently Take
Into Account Panic Aboard
Sinking Vessel.

Sinking Vessel.
Washington, Jan. 1.-Danger OF a.
break in diplomatic relations between
the United States and Austria'Hun-
gary over the sinking Of the liner An
coma probably has been cleared away
Punishment of the submarines com-
msnder for failure to take into &C.
count the panic prevailing aboard the
Ancona before torpedoing the vessel
apparently meets the principal Amer'-
can demand. In effect, it might ne re-
qarded as a disavowal of the act.
London, Jan. 1.-The Austrian re-
NV to the second American note on
tie Ancona states that the com:nan-
der of the Austrian submarine mas
been punished for not sufficiently TAX
ing into account the panic aboard the
Ancona which rendered disem barka-
ton more difficult.
The note, while announcing tEe
willingness of the Austro-Hungarlan
government to pay an indemnity lot
the american victims of the Ancona
declares that the government CANNOT
admit responsibility for damage
caused by the justifable firing on the
fleeing vessel or by the capsizing OF
the boats before the torpedo was
fired"
The reply of the Austrian govern
ment is forwarded to Reuters Tele-
gram company from Vienna by way OF
Amsterdam. The note says:
Agrees With Washington.
"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 en-
phasizes that it, in the course of this
war, his given numerous proofs OF
the most humane feelings.
"The Austro-Hungarian government,
too, can positively concur in the prin-
ciple that enemy private vessels, so
far as they do not fly or offer resist
ance, shall not be destroyed before
the persons aboard are secured.
Vienna Values Good Relations.
"The assurance that the United
States government attaches value to
the maintenance of the existing good
relations between Austria-Hnngary
and the United States is warmly re-
ciprocated by the Austro-Hung arian
government, which now, as hereto
fore, is anxious to render those re-
lations still more cordial
The Austro-Hungarian government
then communicates the results Of the
inquiry into the sinking Of the An
coma, which was recently concluded.
- Submarine Fired at Ancona.
The inquiry showed that the COM
mander of the submarine from great
distance, in the first instance, fred
warning shot on the steamer, sighted
at 11:40 in the forenoon which he at
first believed to be transport
steamer, at the same time giving a
signal fos' the vessel to stop. AS the
steamer failed to stop, and tried to
escape the submarine gave chase and
fired 16 shells at the steamer. of
which three we're observed to hit. The
steamer only stopped after the third
hit, whereupon the commander ceased
firing.
The commander of the submarine,
the note continues, allowed the steam
er more time than was necessary for
the passengers to take to the boats
and then torpedoed the vessel in such
O manner that it would remain afloat
as long as possible to enable the pas
sengers to disembark-"an object
which would have been obtained if
the passengers had not been forsak-
en- by the crew"
Submarine Captain Punished.
Fully approaching the attitude of
the commander who had in view the
rescue Of the passengers and crew."
says the note, "the Austro- Hungarian
naval authorities have arrived at the
conclusion that he apparently neglect
ed to take sufficiently into considera-
tion the panic among the passengers
which rendered Decentralization more
difficult, and the spirit of the regula-
tons that Austro-Hungarian naval Of
fcers should refuse assistance to no
one in distress, even an enemy. The
officer was therefore punished for vio-
lating the instructions embodied in the
rules in force for such cases."
To indemnify for Damages.
The Austrian reply further express
es the hope that Washington will be
able to supply the particulars of how
the American citizens were affected,
but in the event of such evidence be-
ing lacking and the United States be-
ing unable to state how the American
citizens came to their death, the Aus
tro-Hungarian government lis ready
to pass lightly over this deficiency
and indemnify for damages, whose
proximate cause cannot be fixed, and
hopes thereby that the incident will
be re garded as ended