The Monroe journal., 1916-12-05
GERMANY ADMITS SHE
SANK BRITISH MARINA

Commander OF Submarine Took YES
sci For a Transport - Germany
Asks For Information On This
Point-Wiliing TO Pay Damages II
In Error.
Washington Dispatch. Dec. /.
Following the receipt today of a
communication from the German
government admitting that German
submarine torpedoed the British ship
Marina with the loss of 6 Americans.
Secretary Lansing conferred with
President Wilson and il was decided
that no action would be taken By the
American government until il could
definitely establish whether the Ma
rina was private vessel or a belli-
gerent transport.
In the note Germany stated that
the commander OF the submarine
which sank the Marina had reported
that he took the vessel for a trans
port, and asked the United States for
information on this point. Count
Won Bernstorff. the German Ambassa-
dor. called at the State Department
during the day. and 49,, mt in
formation. Secret;i% Ian ag told
him that the Uni,ci States las not
in position to sA4wer the INQUIRY.
but would do so =, Cuick!. - posi-
Bile.
Officials indicated tina; ~ action
could be expected in the Immediate
future on the Marina case. admitted
~ one OF the two most serious pend
ing between the Caited States and
Germany. The other Is that of the
British Liner AraSia. sunk in the
Mediterranean.
Germany, ii is under TODD. Is ready
to acknowledge error a..i make Of
fers of settlement if il Is established
that the Marina wa not in he Brit
ish transport sCtV!ce. When the
vessel was sunk London dispatches
stated that she previously had been
connected with t6C transpor; service.
and also that she was armed with a
gun astern. manned by two British
naval gunners.
IL the ship was in public service
prior to being torpedoed, some State
Department officials take the posi-
lions that the presumption was in
favor of the position that an enemy
might have believed her still to be a
transport when attacked. In order to
clear up the point the nature of her
previous charter and the orders un-
der which she sailed will be investi-
gated.
State Department officials hesitate
to make ruling on what constitutes
a vessel in public service in time of
war until decision has been handed
down in the case OF the Italian steam
er Attualita. libeled in Federal Court
at Norfolk, Va. after a collision with
a Greek vessel. The point at issue
is somewhat similar to that involved
in the Marina incident, as the char
acter of the Attualita is disputed.
Secretary Lansing went over the
case in detail with President Wilson
after the call of the German ambas-
sador but at the time had not exi
amined affidavits bearing on the att
tack on file at the State Department.
II was indicated that IL will be pos
sible for the American government
to collect all the evidence necessary
without further reference to the Ger
man government
In its last note to Germany on the
submarine question, the United
States stated that diplomatic rela-
tions would be broken off unless the
practice of torpedoing vessels with
out warning was abandoned. The
door to acceptance of amends was
not entirely closed, although warn
ing was given that offers OF repara-
tion and expressions of regret could
not compensate for illegal destruction
of American lives.