Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-08
Statement That Commander
of Submarine MiStook
Steamer for Transport Is
Far From Satisfactory,
MERELY REPETITION
OF SUSSEX QUIBBLE
One More Note Is to Be Sent
to Berlin Merely for PUr-
pose of Clearing Up Pos
SibIe Doubt
tsy MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wrptl

icy MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL Leased wtRtl
Washington, Dec 7-Germany's ac- |
ceptance of responsibility for the !
sinking without warning of the Brit !
ish liner Arabia, with the explanation /
that her submarine commander took ,
the vessel for an auxiliary warship, /
has brought the issue over submarine !
warfare to a more serious and clear
cut basis than anything that has hap
pened since the threat of the United
States last April to break diplomatic
relations after the torpedoing of the
channel liner Sussex.
such information as the American
government now has tends to show
that the Arabia was "A passenger ship
of the Peninsular and orient line,
Passing through the Mediterranean on
a regular voyage Among the passen-
gers was an American citizen, who
was rescued.
Regrcttablc Mistake.
The German note, made public to-
day by the state department. says If
official data is furnished showing that
the vessel was an ordinary passenger
steamer, this then would be regret
table mistake from which the Ger
man government would promptly
draw the appropriate consequences
1t is assumed here that the conse-
quences would be an expression of
regret and offer of reparation for any
injury or danger suffered by the
American on board
The note has been referred to Pres
ident Wilson, who is considering per-
sonally a review of the recent German
submarine activities TO which the
Arabia case comes as a climax. There
probably will bo no immediate action,
as the state department first must
clear up beyond question the exact
status Of the liner at the time Of the
attack,
The note, addressed by the Berlin
foreign office TO Charge Grew, in re-
ply to his inquiries made on instruc-
truNions from Washington follows;
Statement by Berlin.
Foreign office, Berlin, Dec. 4,
1916
THE undersigned has the honor to
inform Mr. Grew. charged 'affaires Of
the United states OF America, in reply
to the note of the 2lst ultimo, that the
investigation conducted by the Ger
man government concerning the sink
led to the following results:
"On the morning of November a
German submarine encountered a
large steamer coming from the Corigo
straits, one hundred nautical miles
west OF the Island Of t'origo. The
steamer was painted black and had Il
black superstructure and not, as is
otherwise the case with r. and O. |
line superstructures, a light color, |
The steamer which was identical with !
the Arabia, was not travelling the /
route regularly used by the passenger /
steamers between Port Said and NAL I
Ia, as is made plain on tho enclosed /
map, but was taking a zigzag course i
toward the west, 12O nautical miles /
north of that route, This course on /
which the submarine passed three .
similar steamers at the same spot on
he same morning leads from the Ae- .
yean to Malta, so that the Arabia was /
going on the transport route Corigo- ,
Malta, used solely for war purposes, !
lccvTdipg TO experience, until now.
What Commander Saw.
THE commander of the submarine
'urther asccrtained that there were
large patches Of Chinese and other
'olored persons in their national cos
.umes on board the steamer, lie con
'idered them to be Workmen, soldiers
iuch as are used IN great numbers be-
lnd the front by the enemies OF Ger
many. In spite of the clear weather
md careful observation he did not
perceive any women and children.
In these circumstances, the com /
nander Of the submarine was con-
inccd that in the case of this steamer
.tt
nip for troops IN the service of the
8rltlsh government which IS to be
considered an auxiliary Warshlp, ac-
ording to international law ana can
therefore, le treated IKE q Warship.
ie accordingly considered hlmself
uStltied IN attacking 1t without de-