New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
Text of German Note on Sussex.

Washington May 1oFOo,ing is the tert Of the supplement
ay German note the SUSSEX dated May and addressed
ambassador Gerard;
experimenting his note of the m concerning conduct
Of the German submarine warfare the undersigned has the honor
to inform His Exceency the American Ambassador Mr. James W.
Gerard that the further
authorities concerned regard the French steamship Sussex
the basis of the American concluded the
time In conformity with the result of this investigation the
sumption expressed in the Of the undersigned the 10th
ultmo that the damage of the be back
other than the
tanned
Such assumption had with certainty from
the material in the Of the itself
and without further knowledge the connected with
the torpedong the Sussex the apart from the points
enumerated the note of the 10th um the following facts had
the attention of the Admiralty Staff of the through
liable information:
March "a, 1916 approximately time the Sussex
auxiliary warshp left the of Folkesone with large
transport of British infantry
port torpedoed Channel preced
the explosion the passed through
ship wreckag which created the impression that ship had sunk
that shortly before All these justified the conclusion
that the only of topdng which could considered under the
circumstances had struck the British vessel whereas the Sussex
had met with accident in other way.
However, the basis of the American material the German
withhold its conviction the ship topedcd
accordance with this material the the and the effect Of the
EXPLOSION v which the Sussex was damaged agree in the essential
with the commander
longer be question of the possibility of two independent
An additional constituted by the fact that
the American found
hold the Sussex which described by them upon firm grounds
parts of a German torpedo.
Finally the counter evidence which deduced the Of
the 10th umo from the difference of the vessel de-
sced by the submarine commander and the only reproduction of
the Sussex then available has unenab nasmuch
according photograph of the damaged Sussex hand the
characteristic distinctions longer existed the time Of the
dent while the Sussex in the photograph Of Daily Graphic in
closed the only carried also showed the white
customary vessels the level with the
holes o. w the reproduction of the damaged shows
and uniform dark color and thus her
the description Of the furnished by the
submarine commander
In the general impression Of all the facts hand the
Government considers beyond doubt that the
of the submarine acted the bona fde belief that facing
by the appearance of the vessel the pressure the
did therefore, fully
instruction which called him exercise particular
In view of these circumstances the frankly
ordance with which vessels be attacked with
warning has been adhered the AS
the of the 4th instant
quences It, therefore, expresses the American Government its
regarding the depoable incident and declares its
readiness indemnity the injured American
also dsapprovd the conduct of the commander who has
been appropriately punished
Expressing hope that the American
the settled by these statements
undersigned avas himself this
of his highest consideration Won JAGOW.