Evening star., 1916-01-02
SINKING Of PERSIA
PRESENTS PROBLEM
Details of Torpedoing of Brit
ish Steamship Anxiously
Awaited by U. S. Officials.
GRAVITY OF SITUATION
NOT MINIMIZEO HERE
New Dangers Threaten Relations
With Central Powers, Seemingly
Just Nearing Adjustment.

Official Washington last night
anxiously awaited details of the
torpedoing of the British steam
ship Persia, on which American
citizens were known to have en-
barked.
While it was realized that re-
ports expected from consular and
diplomatic representatives might
show that the submarine COM
mander was justified in sinking
the vessel, officials were not in
rlined to minimize the gravity of
the situation confronting the
United States should it develop
that there has been a violation of
American rights.
Relations Again Threatened.
New dangers, it was admitted. threat
ened the relations between the United
States and the central powers. which.
seemingly, had just been placed on the
road to satisfactory adjustment by the
assurances contained in Austria's re-
ply to the second Ancona note.
Should it develop that the subma :
rine was of Austrian nationality, as
there apparently is ground for pc.
lieving, the Vienna government Will
be given every opportunity to explain.
Meantime the State Department de-
sires that it be determined definitely
whether the Persia tried to escape; f;
whether the torpedo was fred at her
after or before she had stopped /;
whether warning was given. and
whether the passengers had sufficient
time in which to leave the vessel
Only two official dispatches concern
ing the sinking of the Persia were re-
ceived by the State Department yester,
Skinner at London, and the informa-
tion they contained virtually was identi-
cal with that in press dispatches.
Copies Immediately were transmitted 70
President Wilson at Hot Springs, and
the department dispatched requests for
information to United States represen-
tatives at Alexandria. Egypt. ana other
points where survivors might be land
ed or details of the attack mlght De
available from other sources.
Robert McNeely Believed Lost.
One American citizen aboard the Per-
sia was Robert McNeely, newly appoint
ed consul at Alden. The belief was ex-
pressed in official circles last night
that had he escaped some report would
have been forwarded by him. as more
than two days had elapsed since the
vessel went down.
In the absence of specific details, Sec
retary Lansing last night declined to
comment upon the sinking of the
Persia. He made it clear that until the
nationality of the submarine had been
definitely established and the circum-
stances of the attack were known. no
a action would be taken. He apparently
was viewing the situation with an open
mind.
1t was realized that should an Aus
trian submarine have destroyed the
vessel the Vienna government might
offer the explanation that there had not
been sufficient time for new instruc-
|tions conforming to the assurances con-
tanned in the last Ancona note to reach
submarine commanders. 1t was point
ed out that this note was delivered to
Amba ssador Penfield only Wednesday
and that the attack on the Persia oc-
CURED Thursday.
No Data on Instructions.
Whether new instructions regarding
submarine attacks went forth from
Vienna coincidently with the delivery
of the note, or at some prior time. is
not known here.
Should such an explanation from
Vienna be accompanied with proper
disavowal and provision for repara-
ton, it was considered likely that the
United States would accept It,
Officials of the State Department are
not inclined to doubt the good faith of
tho assurances given by Austria in its