New Britain herald., 1916-04-13

the day in question-March 24-in the channel in the general region between Folkestone and Dieppe.
 Tn that region on March "A a long black craft without a flag, having a gray funnel, small gray forward works and two high masts, was en- countered about the middle of the English channel by a, German submG rine. The German commander reach ed the definite conclusion that it was a war vessel, and, indeed a mine layer of the recently-built English Arabis class. He was led to that conviction by the following facts First by the plain, unbroken deck of the ship; second, the form of the stern, sloping downward and back ward like war vessel; third, she was painted like a war vessel; fourth the high speed developed, about 1S knots; fifth, the circumstance that the vessel did not keep course northward of the light buoys between Dungeness and Beachy Head, which. according to the frequent and unvary- ing observations of German subma- rines, is about the course of com merclal vessels but kept in the middle 
 the direction of Le HaVre
 Consequently, he. attacked tho vessel at S:55 in the afternoon, middle European time. 1-2 sea miles south east of Bull Rock (Bullock-) bank, the submarine being submerged. The torpedo struck and caused such a violent explosion in the forward part of the ship that the entire forward part was torn away to the bridge. The particularly violent explosion war rants the certain conclusion that great amounts of munitions were aboard.
 Picture Not That of the Sussex.
 "The German commander made sketch of the vessel attacked by him, two drawings of which are inclosed. The picture of the steamer Sussex, two copies of which are also inclosed, is reproduced photographically from the English paper, the Daily Graphic of the 27th ultimo. A comparison of the sketch and the picture shows that the craft attacked is not identical with the Sussex; the difference in the position Of the stack and shape of the stern is particularly striking
 "No other attack whatever by Ger man submarines at the time in ques- tion for the Sussex upon the route be- tween Folkstone and Dieppe oc- cured. The German government must therefore assume that the in- jury to the Sussex is attributable to another cause than an attack by a German submarine.
 "For an explanation of the case the fact may perhaps be serviceable l that no less than 26 English mines were exploded by shots by German naval forces in the channel on the 1st and 2d of April alone. The en- 1 tire sea in that vicinity is, in facf endangered by floating mines and by torpedoes that have not sunk. Off the English coast it is further endangered in an increasing degree through Ger man mines which have been laid against enemy naval forces.
 Should the American government 1 have at it's disposal further material ! for a conclusion upon the case of 1 the Sussex, the German government would ask that it be communicated, in order to subject this material also to an Investigation.
 'In the event that differences of opinion should develop hereby be- | tween the two governments, the Ger man government now declares itself ready to have the facts of the case established through mixed commis- sions of investigation in accordan Ge with the third title of The Hague agreement for the peaceful settles ment of international conflicts, No vem Der IS, 1907.
 "The undersigned, while requesting that you communicate the above to the government of the United States. 1 takes occasion to renew to the anl- l bassador the assurance of his dts- tinguished esteem.
 "JAGOw."