The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-01-06
FULL TEXT OF TIE
AUSTRIAN NOTE


Keel and settled 80 Slowly tH"N '"'
submarine commander at first doubt
cd whether the steamer would sink
Not until / go o'clock did it sink, af-
ter lengthy parallel settling with
the bow first.
During these further forty-fye min
utes all persons yet aboard could
have been saved without difficulty
with the boats still on hand.
From the fact that this, contrary to
his expectations, was not done, the
commander concluded that the crew,
contrary to all seaman's customs had
accomplished their own rescue with
the first boats and abandoned to them
selves the passengers entrusted to
their protection.
The weather at the time Of the in
cident was good and the sea calm, so
that the life boats could have reached.
the nearest coast without danger, as
indeed. the life boats actually were
damaged only by the unskilled lower
ing but not after they had struck the
water.
The loss Of human lives is, in the
first instance, by no means ascribable
to the sinking Of the ship but, and in
all probability in a much higher meas
ure. to the rapid lowering CHinunter
werfen) Of the boats during full
speed, as well as to the fact that the
crew, concerning only for itself, did
not rescue the passengers Of the cap
sized boats.
1t Is also probably ascribable to-
shots which hit the fleeing vessel, but
the death Of persons who sank with
the steamer is also, above all, ascriba-
BILE to the dlsloyal conduct Of the
crew.
As appears from the aDove adduced
state of affairs, the very esteemed note
Of December is based in many points
on incorrect premises.
lHANl lldAlpll lNdNhllk Nht 'lllANh
States government that solid shot was
Immediately fired toward the steamer
Is incorrect; IT is incorrect that the
submarine overhauled the steamer
during the chase; it is incorrect that
orly brief period was given for get
ting the people into the boats. On the
contEfry, an unusually long period
was granted TO the Ancona for Getting
passengers in the boats.
Finally, It is incorrect that num-
her Of shells were still fired At ;he
steamer after it had stopped
The facts of the case demonstrate
further that the commander Of the
submarine granted the steamer a full
forty-fve minutes time; that is, more
than an adequate period to give the
persons aboard an opportunity 10 take
to the boats.
Then, since the people were not all
saved he carried out the torpedoing in
such a manner that the ship would re-
main above water the longest posi-
bic time, doing this with the purpose
Of making possible the abandonment
IF the vessel on boats still ON hand.
Since the ship remained further
forty-hve minutes above water, he
would have accomplished his purpose
if the crew Of the AncOna had not
abandoned the passengers IN a man-
ncr contrary to duty.
With full consideration, however, Of
this conduct Of the commander, aim
ed at accomplishing the rescle Of the
crew and passengers, the imperial and
royal marine authorities reached the
conclusion that he had omitted to
take adequately into Consideration
the panic that had broken out among
the passengers, which rendered diff
cult the taking to the boats, and the
spirit Of the regulation hat imperial
and royal marine officers shall fail in
giving help to nobody in need, not
even TO an enemy.
Therefore the officer was punished
in accordance with the existing rules,
for exceeding his instructions.
The imperial and royal government
in the face Of this state of affairs does
not hesitate to draw the correspond
ing conclusions respecting the indem-
MITIGATION Of American citizens affect.
ed by the sinking OF the prize, hut in
this regard 1t makes the following
The investigation into the sinking
Of the Ancona could naturally furnish
no essential point to show i'm how far
a right to an indemnity is to he grant /
ed American citizens.
The imperial and royal government
cannot indeed, even, according to the
view Of the Washington -nbinct, he