New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-20


possession Of the of the
fully of the Sussex,
which my has drawn from that
information regards confirmed by the circumstances set forth
Excencys the 10th instant On the Gath of March
1916 about 25O o'clock the afternoon the unamed steamer
Sussex with 325 board among whom were
number of American citizens torpedoed while crossing from
Deppe The had been armed; was
vessel known habuay only
seger English Channel and not following the route
by tropshps supply ships About eighty of her pasn-
gers all including citizens Of The
United States killed or injured
careful detailed and crupuousy impartial investigation by
naval military of the United States has concuvey
that orpeoed without warning
or surrender and that the torpedo by which she
the of the Government
of the United the first made the conclusion
that the torpedo fired by German submarine unavoidable 1t
now considers substaned by the statements OF
Excelency full statement of the facts which
the Government of the United conclusion
incosed
The Government United States after having given
f consideration Imperial 10th
April regrets that the impression made by the
proposals contained that note that the Imperial
Government appreciate the gravity of the situation
which alone from the attack the Sussex bu
from method and character of submarine warfare dis
by practice of the commanders of German
the wevemonth and IN the ds
crminae destruction merchant of all sorts naonalie
and destinations
If the sinking Of the the
United States might find possible hope that the
responsible for that act had wlfuly violated his
orders had crimnay negligent taking of the
precautions they prescribed and that the ends of justice might be
satisfied by imposing upon adequate punishment coupled
formal davowa of the act and payment OF suitable ind
nifty by the Imperial Government
But though upon the Sussex manfesty inde
fensbe and caused loss make it stand
forth as one terrible examples of the nhuman of sub
marine warfare as the Of German vessels conduct
ing it, it unhappiy does not stand alone
On the contrary the Government of the United States forced
bv is only instance though
and most distressing instances of the deb
method and spirit OF destruction OF merchant
naonaes and destinations which nave become
rore and more unmakabe the activity of German undersea
vessels of war has months been qkened and extended
The Imperial Government will recall that when, in February
1915 announced its intention of treating the waters surrounding
Ireland embraced within the seat OF war and o.
destroying merchant ships owned by its enemies that might be
found of danger and warned all vessels neutral al
we'll as bigeren the waters thus prescribed or to
enter their peril the Government OF the unied Htates
earnestly the position that such policy could
not and papabe violations OF the
accepted particularly If submarine craft were 10 oe
as its Instruments nasmuch the rules prescribed by
that law founded the principles OF humanity ana esta
hed of the lives OF noncopants at sea coud
o the nature observed by such vessels II based
its protest ground Of neutral nationality and
vessels of neutral ownership would be exposed extreme and no
cradle that right TO close any part o tne hgn seas
could lawfully by the Imperial Government IN the cir
cumsances then existing.
Tho l f nations in these matters upon
en Of the that protest is not OF recent origin
mr. founded upon arbitrary principles set up by convention
Il based on the contrary upon manifest principles OF humanity