New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-13

Berlin, April l2-The follouing IS the tert o.
the German note on the sinking Of the Susser am
four other steamships dated April 10:
The undersigned has the honor TO INFORM your
Exceency, Ambassador Gerard, in response 70 com
municatons Of the twenty ninth and thirteth ultimo
and the third instant regarding the steamers sussex
Manchester Engineer, Englishman, Berwndvale and
Eagle Point that the mentioned cases IN accordance
with our notes Of the hrtieth and thirtyfrst ultimo
and the fourth and fifth instant, have been SUI
jected to careful investigation by the Admiralty Stan
OF the Navy, which has led to the following results:
"First-(The English steamer Berwindvse)
steamer. which was possibly the Berwindvale was
encountered the evening OF March l6 in sight OF
Bull Rock Light the Irish coast. by German
submarine. The steamer, as soon as she noticed the
submarine, which was running unsubmerged, turned
and steamed away. She ordered to halt by
warning shot She paid attention, however, TO this
warning but extinguished all lights and ATTEMPTED
TO escape The vessel was then fred upon until
halted and without further orders lowered several
boats. After the entered the boats and re-
ccived enough time 10 away, the ship was sunk
"The name Of this steamer not established; IL
cannot be stated with assurance even with the help
Of the details which furnished by the Ameri-
can Embassy, that the above described incident
concerns the steamer Berwindvalc. Since, however
the steamer sunk was a tank steamer like the Ber-
nindvale the identity Of the ships may be assumed
In this case however the statement made that the
Berwindvale was torpedoed without warning would
conflict with the fact.
"Second-(The British steamer Englishman). This
steamer on March "a was called upon to halt by
German submarine through two waning shots about
twenty sea miles OF Islsy iHebrdes) The
vessel proceeded however, without needing the
warning and was therefore forced by the snbma-
rne by artillery fire to halt after extended chase
cbo wi further orders
"After the German commandant had convinced
himself that the had taken TO the boats and
Iowed from the ship he sank the steamer
"Third-(The British steamer Manchester Engi-
neer) Il is impossible TO establish through the In
vestigaton up to the present whether the attack on
this steamer which, according to the given descrp-
ton occurred on March 81, in the latitude Of Water
ford is attributable to German submarine. Inc
statement regarding the time and place OF the Incl
dent gives no sufficient basis for investigation. 1t
would therefore be desirable to have more exact
statements Of the place, time and attendant circum-
stances Of the attack reported By the American gov
ernmen in order that the investigation might there
Upon be brought to a conclusion
Fourth The British steamer Eagle Point lhis
steamer in the forenoon of March 2S was called
upon TO halt by German submarine through signal
end shot about one hundred-not 130-ses miles
from the southwest of Ireland, but proceeded
She was thereupon fred upon until halted, and,
without further orders lowered two boats in which
the crew took their places. After the commandant
convinced himself that the boats which had hosted
cails. had got clear Of the steamer he sank the
steamer.
at the time Of the sinking a north-northwest
wind of the strength of two, not "a storm wind, and
q light swell. not "a heavy sea, stated in the
given description, prevailed. The boats therefore
lad every prospect of being picked up very quickly,
because the place of the sinking lay on much used
steamer path.
"If the crew Of the steamer used only two small
toas for saving themselves the responsibility falls
upon themselves, since there were still upon the
steamer as the submarine could establish, at least
four big cospsible boats.