The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-01

I
| though persons could still he observed
| aboard.
| The steamer gradually righted itself
to an even keel and settled so slowly
that the submarine commander at first
doubted whether the steamer would
j sink. Not until 1920 o'clock did it
| sink. after a lengthy parallel settling,
with the bow first.
| During these further 4 5 minutes all
persons yet aboard could have been
saved without difficulty with the boats
still on hand.
From the fact that this, contrary
to his expectations, was not done, the
| commander concluded that the crew,
contrary to all seamen's customs, had
accom- p1ished their own rescue with
the first boats and abandoned to them
selves the passengers intrusted to their
protection.
The weather at the time of the Incl
dent was good and the sea calm, so
that the Iifeboats could have reached
the nearest coast without danger, as,
indeed, the Hfeboats actually were
damaged only by the unskilled lower
ing, but not after they had struck the
water.
The loss of human lives, is in the
first instance by no means ascribable
to the sinking of the ship, but (and
in all probability in a much higher
measure) to the rapid lowering
(hinunter werfen) Of the boats during
the full speed, as we'll as to the fact
that the crew, concerned only for
itself, did not rescue the passengers
of the capsized boats.
It is also probably ascribab1e to
shots which hit the fleeing vessel, but
the death of persons who sank with
the steamer is also, above all, ascriba-
Bile to the dis1oyaI conduct of the
crew.
AS appears from the above adduced
state of affairs, the very esteemed
note of Dec. 8 is based in many points
on incorrect premises. Information
reaching the United States govern
ment that solid shot was in1me diate1y
fred toward the steamer is incorrect;
it is incorrect that the submarine
overhau1ed the steamer during the
chase; it is incorrect that only a brief
period was given for getting people
into the boats. On the contrary, an
unusually long period was granted to
the Ancona for getting passengers
into the boats. Finally, it is incorrect
that a number of shells were still
fired at the steamer after it had
stopped.
The facts of the case demonstrate
further that the commander of the
submarine granted the steamer a full
forty five minutes time, that, Isl more
persons aboard an opportunity to take
to the boats. Then, since the people
were not all saved, he carried out the
torpedoing in such a manner that the
ship would remain above water the
longest possible time, doing this with
the purpose of making possible the
abandonment of the vessel on boats
still in hand.
since the ship remained a. further
forty-fve minutes above water, he
would have accomplished his purpose
if the crew of the Ancona had not
abandoned the passengers in a man
ner contrary to duty.
with full consideration. however. of
this conduct of the commander. aimed
at accomplishing the rescue of the
crew and passengers, the Imperial and
Royal Marine authorities reached the
conclusion that he had omitted to take
adequately into consideration the pan
fc that had broken out among the
passengers, which rendered difficult
the taking to the boats, and the spirit
of the regulation that Imperial and
Royal Marine officers shall fail in Civ
ing help to nobody in need, not even
to the enemy.
Therefore, the officer was punished
in accordance with the existing rules.
for exceeding his instructions.
The Imperial and Royal govern
fairs does not hesitate to draw the
corresponding conclusions respecting
the decentralization of American cit1-
zens, affected by the sinking OF the
prize, but in this regard it makes the
following statement:
The invest cation into the sinking
Of the Ancona5 could naturally furnish
no essential point to show in how far
a right to an indemnity is to be grant
ed American citizens. The Imperial
and Royal government cannot, indeed,
even according to the view of the
of the Washington cabinet, be held
liable for damages which resulted
from the undoubtedly justified bonn
hardnaent of the fleeing ship.
It should just as little have to an.
svver for the damages which came to
pass before the torpedoing Of the ship
through the faulty lowering of life
boats or the capsizihg of lowered
boats.
The Imperial and Royal government
must assume that the Washington
government is in a position and dis
posed to give it (the Austro-Hunga--
rian governnnent) the required and
certainly not ,unimpertant informatler
in this, respect.
If. however, because of possible lack
of material proofs, the particular cir
cllrastanees under which American cit;
liens suffered damage should not have
become known ito the Union govern
rneat, the Royal government, in con-
sideration for the hdmanely deeply re-
grettable incident, and by a desire to
proclaim once again it's friendly feel.
ings toward the Federal government,
would be gladly willing to disregard
this gap in the evidence and to extend
indemnities also to those damaged
whose cause cannot be tab1ished.
While the Imperial and Royal gov
ernment may probably consider the
affair of the Ancona as settled with
the foregoing statements it reserves
to itself at this time the right to bring
up for discussion al a later period the
difficult questions of international law
connected with submarine warfare.
The undersigned has the honor to
request most respectfully that his Elk