The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03

That the commander actually did
give warning and the Persia tried to
escape.
Officials OF the state Department be-
lieve there will be difficulty in proving
whether IL was a mine or torpedo that
struck the liner. H. in the absence OF any
proof that n submarine was in the vicin-
ity. the Teutonic Powers insist that II
was mine. In this connection they
called attention to the case OF the
steamer Hesperian sunk OF Fastnet.
England. on September I. shortly after
the Arabic was sent to the bottom. on
that occasion the incident occurred at
8 80 o'clock at night and no submarine
was seen.
Although the British Admiralty sub
mitted to the American Government
pieces of the metal alleged to have been
picked up from the deck Of the ship be-
fore IT went down and which American
naval experts pronounced TO be parts OF
a torpedo. the American Government was
unable TO prove that German sub
marine was responsible. and for that
reason never pressed Berlin for salts
faS.ion.
May Have Been Turkish Subma rine
ON the other hand, responsible officials
OF the state Department declared to-
a submarine did attack the Persia but
that the nationality of the submarine
was not German or Austrian, but Turk
| ish. the United States will have to fol-
low the same procedure used in the case
of the Ancona-to demand Of Turkey
under pain Of a severance NJ diplomatic
| relations "A promise to disavow the act
punishment Of the submarine COM
mander and reparation for the lives OF
any Americans lost.
| That Turkish submarine might in
fact have made the attack is considered
probable. With the withdrawal Of che
Entente Powers from the psrdanelles II
IL assumed that the Turkish submarines
which have been operating In the Black
Sea or new ones built In Germany and
itranshipped to Constantinople and
! manned by Turkish crews under the
Turkish flag might have been sent down
to join the Austrian submarines operat-
ing in the vicinity of the Suez Canal.
Naval officials here are convihced. in
any event. that because Of the hazards
Of passing bach and forth through LONG
stretches to Austrian ports on the Adri-
attic. where the Italian fleet is stationed l.
the submarines Of the central Powers
must be operating from bases estab-
lshed AT Turkish ports in Asia Minor
or Syria.
Germans Command Tnrkish Vessels
! The few Turkish submarines that have
featured in the Black Sea operations are
Understood to have been commanded h,
German officers. For that reason, II /,
is found that "A Turkish craft attacked
the Persia. it is thought more tina:
probable that the United States will re
mind Germany that its previous cor
t respondence with Berlin on the subjec'
, Of submarine warfare was intended II
cover the actions OF individual com
manders as well as German submarines
sailing under the German flag.
, There is a strong disposition in STATE
Department circles not to jump TO con
, clusions until full details are obtained
|. Officials are d!sinclined to believe tina
Ithe Austrian note last Friday. practi
cally complete in its compliance VIII
the American demands In the Ancon'
case. was intended merely as "scral
of paper" Judging by their attitude
! however /, is safe to say that X an!
Austrian submarine is found to hav
been responsible for this new TRACED!
a note will be sent to Vienna which will
either bring out such assurances 10
the future from Austria rs will max
submarine warfare on commerce as i'm
practicable for that country as II nov
is for Germany or compe, break II
diplomatic relations.