New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-01

from the steamer. Another boat was
capsized and fosted keel up. The pee
pie held onto the hanging lines ana
20 the capsized boat
During the further approach OF the
submarine the commander saw that a
great panic reigned aboard and that
he had 20 deal with IA passenger steam
err, namely, the Ancona. from Genoa.
Therefore he gave the occupants OF the
steamer more time thar was required
to leave the ship in lifeboats.
Ten Lifeboats Still Aboard.
at least ten lifebcats were still
aboard. which would have mofe~than
suficed for the rescue Of the persons
still aboard. One Of these boats hung,
full Of people, half turned outward on
the davits.
"Since, however, except for this, no
further move was mado TO lower boats.
the commander decided, after lapse
of forty-fvo minutes, 70 torpedo the
ship in such a manner that II should
remain n considerable time afoat, in
order that. on the one hand, the get
ting of tho people into the lifeboats
should be hastened. and that, on the
other, adequate opportunity should re-
main for rescuing the persons still
aboard.
"Shortlv thereafter steamer be-
came visible, which was throwing out
heavy clouds of smoke. and headed
toward the Ancona. IL apparently had
been summoned by the Aneona's wire
less.
"Since the submarine commander had
Il % NJ Z
which he took for an enemy cruiser, he
submerged, after having at l2:35
o'clock In the afternoon had torpedo
fred into the forward baggage hold Of
the Ancona from a distance of 800
metres. The Ancona listed about 10 de-
grees TO starboard after this shot
Lifeboat Falls Into Sea.
"Thereupon en- effort was made 10
lower tho lifeboat. which already was
half turned out on the davits. u
broke loose, however, and fell into the
water. The lifeboat foated keel down
further and the people held fast 70 the
gunwale.
"Of the other boats one was low
cred into the water. cithough persons
could still be observed aboard. The
steamer gradually righted itself TO an
even keel and settled so slowly that
the submarine commander at first
doubted whether the steamer would
sink. Not until 1920 o'clock did u
sink, after a lengthy parallel settling,
with the bow first.
During these further forty-fve min
utes all persons yet aboard could have
been saved without difficulty with the
boats still on hand
From the fact that this, contrary 70
his expectations, was not done, the com
mander concluded that the crew, con
trery TO all seamen's customs, had &C
complished their own rescue with the
first boats and abandoned 10 themselves
the passengers intrusted 70 their posi-
ton.
Boats Damaged in Lowering.
The weather at the time Of the incl
dent was good and the sea calm, so that
the lifebosts could have reached the
nearest coast without danger, as, in
deed, the lifeboats actually were dam
aged only by the unskilled lowering,
but not after they had struck the
water.
THE loss Of human lives is, IN the
first instance, by no means aseribable
TO the sinking of the ship, but and IN
all probability In a much higher meas
ure, to the rapid lowering (hinunter
werfen) Of the boats during full speed,
as we'll as to the fact that the crew,
concerned only for itself, did not res
cue the passengers OF the eapsized
boats
1T IS also probably ascribsble 10
shots which hit the fleeing vessel, but
the death of persons who sank with the
steamer is also. above all, sscribable 70
the disloyal conduct of the crew.
L. 6. Notes Premises False.
AS appears from the above adduced
state Of affairs, the very esteemed note
Of December is based In many points
on incorrect premises. Information
reaching the United States government
that solid shot was Immediately fred
toward the steamer. Is incorrect; il is
incorrect that the submarine over