The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-30

4 = : 81 masser q no consequences 70
CONT va Bernsecrff. the German
1SkanSaAcr, returned to WashInetcr
ItnSA,nAk 1rcsn NOV York. He declired
rs IN iuaSa wAe<hsr No intends 20 ~xil
~ UscretAry LANDING.
s M Aeveloped today At the state Do
paxtrasuf that AmhAsnAdor Page Al
q London has already investigated the
cAAA 81 the Eussex-
sursrx nm unnrsnrf Vessel.
" IL WAS announced officially that Mr..
3 rSxs had informed the department on
the authority of, the british foreign
iolscs that the Sussex was an rnafrned
vemBeI
The department announced also
that afiadavfts had been received indi-
eating that the Englishman had been
shelled by the submarine while trying
TO escape, but that she was torpedoed
after she had stopped"
A In Its main features the case or
s. the Engiishman appears to be similar
Ia that of the Ancona- This vessel
ssns attacked in the Mediterranean.
d II was sheiied by a submarine and
sluaiiy torpe6oed. The italian govern
- msnt. supported by the testini ony of
passengers end officers. insisted that
the vessel had come to full stop
,before the torpedo was fired. In It's
Anc&s Of December 10 the State De-
pAftment pointed out that the report
Of the Austrian admiralty on the case
admitted that the weasel had been tor
redoed after her engines had been
v stHpped and when passengers were
still on beard. The note then said:
ssThis admission alone is, in view
OF the government OF the United
States. sufficient to Ak upon the COM
mander of the submarine which fred
% torpedo the responsibility for hav-
ins wilfu1iy violated the recognised
i law OF nations and entirely disre-
gArded those humane principles OF
= senduot which every belIigerent should
observe IN the conduct of war at see"
: The Austrian government replied
that II had punished the commander
az the submarine for exceeding his
INSTRUCTIONS, and II would pay in
derrnity for the damage done TO cit
ixens OF the United States
Statements Not Convincing.
Ercretary OF State Lansing indicated
.tndsy that although the State Depart
nent had been advised officially by
! ono OF It's agents that the steamships
Manchester, Engineer and Eagle Point
had been 'torpedosd without warn
me" It did not regard these unsup-
ported statements as convincing. II
was pointed out that agents OF the
Department, not being on board the
shtps. merely sent what had been re-
pcafed to them
Az less 30 Determine Motive.
Assuming that German submarines
WIRE responsible for any or all of the
apparent attacks on vessels during the
sart few days. state Department Of
sciAla are at q loss to determine the
motive behind the new campaign. One
offetGi, who usually speaks by atf-
tAorsty. said that the facts 90 far de-
veinpsd chow:
That the French and English fiests
combined have not been able to rid
the war zone OF submarines ana.
therefore. the claim OF the strength or
the German submarine feet In proved.
That Germany must have a theory
tina. she British orders TO merchant
men. COPPER of which she sent TO tho
: state Department. Justify her in the
De,tsf that al British merchantmen
are armed to take the offensive against
! e&fomarires and. Therefore, II IL vital
FOR the submarines TO attack nrst.
$. There was a suggestion today that
the question Of the secret orders to
~.Rr.tish merchantmen. "a furnished 10
the department, may enter into the
r4ssssaf disposition of some of the cases
Germany. II In known, believes that
= tfia orders of the British admiralty to
its merchantmen to attack submarines
art. still in force. The state Depart
rncns which sent az inquiry TO the
British government on the subject has
net yet been informed WHISTLER this Is
true.