The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-01-03

on the subject and e~ndeaVoring TO
gain an understanding Of the
views Of the United States for the
information Of his government.
Only one despatch concerning tho
sinking OF the Persia was received
today by the state department. II
came from Consul Carrots at Alexan-
dria. Egypt. and indicated hat Con
sui McNeely on his way to his post.
had been lost. He was last seen in
the water before the steamship went
down. Consul Carrots reported also
that Charles n. Grant. OF Boston. an
other American who was aboard the
/ Persia was among the survivors. No
submarine was seen by the survivors.
according to the consul's report but
an officer of the ship said he saw
the wake OF a torpedo. The Persia
went down in five minutes. This
despatch was Immediately forwarded
to President Wilson al Hot Springs.
Lansing Silent.
While Secretary Lansing tonight
declined 10 comment upon the situa-
ition. concerning the United States. %
became known that he and other Off
cials were waiting full Information
before forming an opinion and deter
mining upon any dCllou.
Officials expressed themselves as
not being convinced that a submarine
sank the Persia. They were i'm.
pressed by the statement in the de.
,spatch from Alexandria. that the wake
or the torpedo had bee seen. though
no submarine was visible.
Navy officers who were consulted
said they would consider ' out OF the
ordinary although not impossible that
n torpedo fired by a submerged sub.
marine should leave a visible wake
Discussions Of the case today showed
thai officials generally felt that the
United states had about come TO the
end OF its rope in conducting diplo
matte negotiations over submarine
warfare. There was no inclination
to minimize the gravity Of the situa
lion that would develop DO 10 wa
proved that an Austrian submarine
sank the Persia and a prompt disa
vowai from Vienna was not forthcom
ing % is thought possible. however
that the Vienna government may se'
nf tO follow tho example sot by Ger
many upon tho sinking of tho Arabic
The Arabic was torpedocd at "a time
when DO appeared that the submarine
controversy with Germany was on
N|. NNNN |N .F'|N NNf MN. ~ WIN NM|'I
as Count Won Bornstorn. the German
ambassador. received instructions q,
assure tho United States government
that nll safisfactio- more than "a dis
avowaI would be- given by the Der
lHn government should Do circum
lance aa they were then represent
cd De- correct
Possible Action.
should the development warrant
and should tlo mystery s~urruundin
fhc nationality 81 tho submarine n
maIn une0lvcd tho United States.
uas said. probably viii adde's Or
GIirIna fo Austria. HUNGARY. German
and Turkey. Tho only nations who's
.IhwarIueH which might Doc boo the ca.
term Mediterranean The inquire
neoe arilf would have to boz sent @
all fhr0o nations. although if DEL D..
Urtcd certain lu al quarters that An
frI1 Hungary ie fhc only ono Of ODD
Toufoulc allies with submarines
That vicinity Tho belief la base
primarily upon a statement recent
made lr Count Nornst0rn. Co Tho efo.
that uo German or Turkish su
marines wero knoun to be- oporatir
y there
ANY action taken by tho Unit,
afc. HIl Dol based upon AFFIDAVIT