Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-04-13

mandant convinced himself that the
boats, which had hoistcd sails, had got
ten clear of the steamer, he sank the
steamer.
AT the time Of the sinking north
northwest wind of the strength of two,
not a storm wind and a ligh; swell, not
"A heavy sea as stated in the given de-
scription, prevailed. The boats therefore
had every prospect of being picked up
very quickly because the place of the
sinking lay on II much used steamer path.
"If the crew of the steamer used only
two small boats for saving themselves
the responsibility fails upon themselves
since there were still upon the steamer
as the submarine could establish, at least
four big collapsble boats.
THE SUSSEX CASE
"Firth-The French steamer SusseX-as-
ccrtainment Of the fact whether the chan
ucl steamer Sussex was damaged by
German submarine was rendered eX-
tremely difficult because no exact details
of time, place and attendant circum-
stances of the sinking We're known and
also because it was impossible to obtain
a picture of the ship before April +. Con
| sequently the investigation had to be ex-
tended to all actions undertaken on the
day in uuestion-March Elm ;he chan
mel in the general region between Folk
stone and Dieppe.
I DESCRIBES TORPEDOED CRAFT.
I'm that region on March "a, long
black craft without "A flag, having a
gray funnel, small gray forward works
| and two high masts. was encountered
about the middle of the English chan
| mel by a German submarine. The Ger
man commander reached the definite
conclusion that it was war vessel
and, indeed, mine layer OF the re-
Gently built EnElish-Arabis class. He
4 was led to that conviction by the fol-
lowing facts: First. by the plain, un-
broken deck of the ship; second, the
form of the stern, sloping downward
and backward like a war vessel; third,
she was painted like war vessel;
fourth, the high speed developed about
eighteen knots; fifth, the circumstance
that the vessel did not keep a course
northWard of the light buoys between
DunEcness and Beachy Head, which,
according to the frequent and unvary-
ing observations of German suhma
rncs, is about the course of CONNER
, rial vessels. but kept in the middle OF
the channel on course about in the
direction of LIE IIavrv
consequently, he attacked the Vessc
at 3:5 in the afternoon, middle European
time. one and onc-half sea miles south
east Of Bull Rock UulockO Bank, the
, submarine being submerged. The tor
peo struck and caused such a Violen
, explosion in the forward part of the shil
, that the entire forward part was tor
away to the bridge.
The particularly violent explosio
warrants the certain conclusion tina
, great amounts of munitions We're aboart
SKETCH MADE OF VESSEL
e "The German commander made
= sketch of the vessel attacked by him, tw
r dra wings of which are enclosed. The pic
Q ture Of the steamer Sussex, two copie
Q of which are also enclosed, is reproduce
g photographically from the English pape
J, the Daily Graphic, of the 9th utimo.
@ "A comparison of the sketch and IL
t picture shows that the craft attacked
not identical with the Sussex; the di
q ference in the position of the stack al
shape of the stern is particularly strll
, ing.
mo other attack whatver by Germa
:. submarines at the time In question Il
y the Sussex upon the route betwe'
>, Folkestone and Deppe occurred. TT
~ German government must therefore a
y. sumo that the injury to the Sussex
- attributable to another cause than ;
-, attack by a German submarine
GERMANS EXPLODED 26 MINES.
I'd For an explanation of the case Il
ad fact may perhaps be serviceable tn
he no less than twenty-six English min
were exploded by shots by Germi
naval forces in the channel on the fir
. and second of April alone. The enti
=. sea In that vicinity is, in fact, e
~ dangered by floating mines and by to
pedoes that have not sunk. OFF t
40 English coast it Is further endanger
." In an increasing degree through &c
io man mines, which have been Ia
~ against enemy naval forces.
,ht should the American governme
IN have at its disposal further mater
IN for n conclusion upon the case of t
'e- Sussex, the German government wot
ats ask that 1t be communicated, in orc
m to subject this material also to an
ne vestigation.
''e SUGGESTS INTERNATIONAL COUT
"In the event that differences
opinion should develop hereby betwo
the two governments, the German 80
gle ernment now declares itself ready
Of have the facts of the case establish
through mixed commissions of inves
md cation in accordance with the tn
ON title of The Hague agreement for
out peaceful settlement of information
ip- conflicts-Novembe Is, 1907.
ner "The undersigned, while requesti
the that you communicate the above to