The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-29
Text of the Note.

Text of the Note.
rhe text OF the telegram to Ambassa-
Der renield follows:
"pEPARTMEST OF STATE, Washington.
June y, 1915.
Evidence obtained from the captain
&c members Of crew Of the steamer
Pe,rolte. and from examination made of
the vessel under direction Of the Navy
department.. convinces this Government
tha, the Austro-Hungarian Government
has obtained an incorrect report OF the
attack on the steamer. With particular
reference to the explanation made by the
Foreign office the following information.
briefly stated. has been obtained from
sworn statements OF the captain ana
members Of the crew:
40 shot was fred across the bow OF
me steamer as a signal to stop. When
he frst shot was fred the captain was
under the impression that an explosion
had taken place In the engine room.
Not until the second shot was fired did
the -apta!n and crew sight the sub
marie, which was astern OF the steamer.
and therefore, they positively assert.
;ha' neither the first nor the second shot
IA fired across the bow OF the vessel.
THE steamer dtd not. swing around in
ac9Irse directed toward the submarine,
- alleged in the report obtained by the
Hungarian Government. but the
,titlm AZ once stopped the engines and
tsu.s the vessel broads!de to the sub
marine and at right angles to the course
.: 'Nr vessel. in order 10 show its neutral
no tugs. which was man!festly the
Reasonable and proper course to follow.
AID 10 ceased TO make any headway.
On Tee steamer was painted its name
q lr',ers approximately six feet long
aul tile name OF the hailing port and.
a. H,s previously been made known
20 tr- Austro-Hungarian Government.
he >teamer carried two large flags
SOM distance above the water line.
VIZ i is positively stated by the ON
.el. and crew we're flying before the first
rot Wis fred and were not hoisted after
he nrst shot. as stated by the sub
nai ne commander.
Denies Trying ~ Ram.
T. submarine commander admits
tha; the steamer stopped her engines.
Tho aptAin OF the Petrolite denies that
he vessel was ever headed toward the
submarine and the examination Of the
s'ear'- made by an American naval
constructor corroborates this statement.
because as he states, the shell which
A TOOK eject on vessel. striking the deck
house W1rh surrounds the smokestack.
"a. fr,. from a point forty-f1ve degrees
on '1r stirboard bow. This was one OF
'ho .l.r shots Aired and indicates that
shp nas not headed toward the sub
ma .a" even up TO the time when the
submarine ceased firing.
"Tre naptain states that the submarine
app 10 be manGuvring SO as To
ar'' her shots from ahead OF the
steamer
The submarine fired approximately
t"elvo snots. The majority Of the shots
Hct" fred after the ship had stopped
ana had swung broadside and while. al
even the commander OF submarine ad.
mt ''.- steamer was flying the Ameri'
can Gag The captain of the steamer
oen,es mat he advised the commander OF
Nt ,3blnarine that the damage to the
steamer was insignificant. He states
,'at 'r advised him that the steamer
had been damaged, but that ne had moi
Ven ntf an opportunity to ascertain
We 'N'rht Of the damage. The seaman
w." ~ struck by A fragment OF shel
sustained severe flesh wounds.
submarine Not In Danger.
'l' tee ship had intended to ram tn.
tEi'rarru" she would not have stopped
n'' g. u"s, and this must have beer
''G'' 30 the submarine commander
Nav. authorities here agree that there
".f nave been no danger Of the shiI
iauT e the submarine until II wa!
h'"1'a Siralght for the submarine an6
"" Ildcr power and even then th'
sIh'uarue could have 50 manGuyred "A!
" AVOID collision. The Petrolite wal
W. 1 80 away from the submarine
N" 'nslues and funnel Of the Petrolit'
We. a, the stern, and from the genera
eil"nrance Of the ship no experienced
taNa. officer could have believed that I
'aI npportunity Of sufficient speed I,
az even II II had been steaming di
f'.'., 'pward the submarine. The con
N.'' Z the submarine commando
showed lack Of judgment, self control o
WIZ. intent amounting to utter disre
POI NJ iN" nights of a neutral.
Irdux to the sworn statement
OF i.' captain 81 the steamer and
man who accompanied him to tn
- .'rire, the commander Of the latte
Slated that he mistook the steamer for
erui.er This statement IL at varisnc
with 'he statement In the Austro-Hun