The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-13
FOUR TAKEN IN GERMAN
SHIP FIRE PLOT; BOYED
AND VON PAPEN ACCUSED
SANK 4 SHIP NEAR BY, BUT
NOT SUSSEX, SAYS BERLIN
Germans, in Reply Insist That Drawing Proves Another
Vessel Was Attacked-Text of
New Communication
SSsc's' tstk DssDoich 70 TVS srS

Sbsc'1i tstis DssDOf,k 70 THE SvS.
BERLIN. via Amsterdam. April Ia
The German Governments reply to the
American State Departments inquiry re-
garding the recent destruction and at
tacks on hve steamships vas handed to-
day to Ambassador Gerard
In three Of the cases which figure In
the German reply to the American in
qvir.es about the sinking OF a number
OF merchant vessels. the excuse Is Of
fered that the vessels in question hed
from the submarines when commanded
! to stop: in another case. it ia stated. in
formation Is not yet available, and in
the NTH. the attack on the Sussex. the
reply says that Germany must assume
/ that the Channel transport was not at
, tackled by a'submarine
I In the event there is still a divergence
of views between the German and United
States Governments in connection with
the cases at issue. Foreign Minister Won
Jagow In his note offers to submit the
facts to mixed commission under a
Hague convention for decision. The
United States Is asked TO forward any
additiona. information that 1t may pos
sess To Berlin for Germsny's guidance.
German Inquiry HaMpered.
The plea Ia made that in several OF
the eases IN question. particularly In
that Of the Sussex. the German Govern
ment's investigation was hampered by
the lack OF sufiicien, facts upon which 10
base an inquiry.
Tine note states that only one German
submarine was near the vicinity OF the
Sussex at the time she was damaged by
an explosion.
It is stated that German naval
forces" destroyed twenty-six mines On
the day on which the Sussex WAS
damaged.
The submarine commander submitted
n sketch Of the vessel he torpedoed, and
upon examination It mas been found very
different TO the SUSSEX. Photographs OF
the Sussex have been compared with the
sketch. The ship torpedoed Is entirely
unlike in appearance. has dissbnilar
arrang. ment Of smokestacks and could
not. Berlin believes. he confounded with
the SUSSEX
The conclusion drawn by the Foreign
O.iice is that the Sussex. like the Tuban-
tia. struck a British mine. The Foreign
o,i,ce , Xpects the United states viii be
entirely satisfied with the German eA-
=. PLANTATION.
The Test "f the N"'~.
The following is the text Of the mote:
The undersigned has the honor 10
inform YOUR EAcelleHcy, AnlAs auot
Gerard. IN response TO communications
OF the aslh and 30th ultimo and the so
: instant. regarding the steamers SUSSEX
Manchester Engineer. Englishnan, Ber-
wind,ale and Eagle Point. that the men
toned cases, in accordance with our
notes OF the 18Th and 3lst ultimo and
the ith and 5th instant. have been sub
, iccted TO careful Investigation by me
Admlyalty STAFF OF the navy, which mas
led to the following results
"First-The FMgist steamer eef
wind,ale a steamer, which was pos
sibly the BerWindvale. was encountered
on the evening of March l6 in sight oi
hull Rock light. on the Irish coast, by d
German submarine.
! The steamer. az soon as she noticed
the submarine. which was running unsuo'
merged, turned and steamed away. She
WAS ordered 10 halt by a warning shot
She paid no attention, however TO this
warning. but eNtinguished all lights and
, ATTEMPTED TO escape. The vessel was
then nrsd upon until halted. and with'
out further orders lowered several ooats
+, After the crew entered the boats ana re
: cely.d enough tIme 10 Tow away me
ship Was sunk,
/, ''The name OF this steamer was moi
esta ablished. 1t cannot he stated WITH
: assurance. even with the help OF thu
details which were furnished by tn.
, American Embassy. that the above
described incident concerns the steamer
Berwindvale Since. howSer thu
p steamer sunk was tank steamer Ike
; the Berwindvale. the identity OF tht
ships may be assured. In this case
however, the statement made that thu
B.rwindvale was torpedoed Withou
warning would conflict with the fact,
Two warming sh"ts.
= "Second--The British steamer Eng
:. lshman This steamer on March -
= WAS called upon to halt by German
$ submarine through two warning shot
p about twenty sea miles west OF lsla!
= (Uebrides). The vessel proceeded, how
J. ever, without needing the warning. an'
/, was therefore forced by the submarine
II by artillery FIRE to halt after an EXTENDED
u chase. whereupon she lowered boat
without further orders.
= after the German cOminandant has
e convinced himself that the crew hat
taken to the boats and rOwed from tn
70 shl;, he sank the steamer,
], "Third-The British steamer Man
y chester Engineer. II ~ impossible 4
10 establish through the investigation II
= to the present whether the attack o
II this steamer (Which. according to tn
given description, occurred on March .
In the latitude OF Waterford) is attrib
!, utable to German submarine TIL
v. statement regarding the time and plac
:, o! the incident gives no sufficient basi
- for investigation
>, at would therefore he desirable t
~ have more exact statements of tn
=. placc, time ana attendant Circumsa nee
;, Of the attack reported by the America
~ Government in order that the investiga
- ton might thereupon he brought to
y. Conclusion.
"Fourth-The British steamer Eagl
Point, This steamer In the forenoon .
March 2S was called upon to halt by
- German submarine through signal an
u shot about l00--nOt l30-sea miles froi
the southwest coast OF Ireland. hut pro
10 ceeded. She was thereupon fired upo
until halted, and without further orde,
lowered two boats. in which the ere
took their places.