Evening star., 1916-04-14
Name of Captain, Number
of Submarine Disclosed
to American Government

{ PARIS. April 1.-THE American gov
ernment is now in possession of the
information obtained by the French
government which led to the assertion
that the steamship Sussex was tor
pedoed by a German submarine. Full
( details, even to the name of the COM
mander and number of the submarine.
/. have been communicated privately to
the American government.
The ministry of marine was not pre-
pared today to make this information
public, but it has been given not only
I to the United States, but to all other
governments interested.
One reason the authorities refrain
from giving out details is that it is
their understanding that they are act
ing in conformity with the wishes of
Z the American government 1t is also
5 the desire of French officials to give
Germany an opportunity to reply to
the statement that the name of the
commander and number of the sub
. marine are known
i The American government also has
been informed cor rcerning the state
captured officer and crew of another
German submarine, which was sunk in
French waters on April 5. 1t was an
inounced semi-officially yesterday that
movements of the submarine which is
said to have torpedoed the Sussex, with
confrmatory evidence as to the name
tof the commander and number of the
craft
1t is understood that some of the
fragments Of the instrument which
caused the explosion found on the Sus-
sex have imprinted German letters and
words indicating the town where II was
made.
The German note on the Sussex,
signed by Foreign Minister Won Jagow.
has led to a widespread discussion
I q Io hA r,,rnl
and In the press.
/ At the American embassy the German
note was carefully scrutinized by the
/ ambassador, William Graves Sharp,
/ and NAVAL Attaches Lieut. Commander
4 William R. Sayles and Lieut. B. L.
4 Smith. in the light of sixteen American
affidavits and the fragments of a mis-
4 sile which lay before them. 1t was
l particularly noted that Herr Won ia
! COWS description of the steamer which
the German submarine sank March "a
! at 1865 O'Clock in the afternoon corre-
sponded closely with the appearance of
! the Sussex as described here, the Sus-
sex having a black and white stack,
which. it is pointed out, might be
I taken for a gray stack in the distance,
4 with a small upper forward bridge en-
| veloped in canvas, which would also
| correspond with Herr Won Jagow's de-
/ scription of a gray bridge, and two
/ large masts.
The difference in time between the
A
Herr Won Jagow and the explosion on
\ the Sussex is accounted for among
/; american officials by the one hours
l difference between French and Ger
J man time. 1t was also noted that no
other steamer has ever been reported
as having been sunk or damaged in the
same locality at or about the same
time.
( The fragments of the missile in the
possession of the embassy have been
shipped to the State Department at
1 Washington.
| "Tangle Of chicanery."
I Tho German note regarding the tor
{ pedoing OF the Sussex and other ves-
sells is commented on By the morning
newspapers for the most part in deri-
I sive terms. Under the heading, Ger
many Seeks to Draw America Into An
other Ians1e OF Chancery." the Petit
Tho matter now lies between Ger.
many and the United States, ana in q
few hours We shall know what deci-
believe 1t will be an energetic one. Ger
many wishes to begin another endless
diseusston like that which followed the
, sinnsnf n OF the L4sitania, but It is prob
able that Mr.. Wilson will speak out
nrmly and upset the German calcula-
tfons- Congress has defined its atti-
fude On the subject ana American opin.
ion; n well - Spanish. Danish. Dutch
ana Norwesian opinion, 10 aroused
against tho savage violence of Ger
manys submarine warfare The
American press calls for action. The
hour ie truly decisive one"
The German man euver ia M child
ish." says the Journal. that IL In i'm
: possible to admit that Washington can
be deceived by IT. President Wilson
He cannot fail to realize that the Ger
I man government. either by set design
or by its weakness in presence Of pub
nc opinion At homo. 10 committed to
the continuation and dsvelopment Of
It's implacabls methods Of warfare. |.
Berlin Papers Approve Attitude.
! BERIrN Ann 1A-Rh> . ~