New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-13
GERMANY'S NOTE UPHOLDS
SINKING THREE OTHER SHIPS
Text OF Berlin's Sussex Note

"Fifth-(The French steamer SUSSEX. Ascertain
nent Of the fact whether the Channel steamer Sus
sex was damaged by a German submarine was ren.
dered extremely difficult, because exact details
Of time, place and attendant circumstances of the
sinking were known and also because it imposs
bic 20 obtain a picture of the ship before April o.
Consequently, the investigation had TO be extended
to all actions undertaken on the day in question
March 24-n the Channel in the general region
between Folkestonc and Deppe.
"In that region March q long black craft
without flag, having gray funnel, small gray for
ward works and two high masts, was encountered
about the middle of the English Channel by a Ger
man submarine. The German commander reached
the definite conclusion that 1t vessel, and,
indeed a mine layer of the recently built English
Arabic class. lie was led that conviction by the
following facts: First by the plain, unbroken deck
of the ship; second the form of the stern, slopng
downward and backw ard like a war vessel; third. she
was painted like a vessel; fourth. the high speed
developed-about eighteen knots; fifth, the circum-
stance that the vessel did not keep course north
ward of the light buoys between Dungeness and
Beachy Head, which, according to the frequent and
unvarying observations of German submarines, Is
about the of commercial vessels, but kept in
the middle of the channel, n course about in the
direction of lie Havre.
consequently. he attacked the vessel at 1855 In
the afternoon, Middle European time, and one
half sea miles southeast OF Bull Rock tBullockD
Bank. the submarine being submerged The torpedo
struck and caused such violent explosion In the
forward part of the ship that the entire forward
part TO the bridge
The particularly violent explosion warrants the
certain conclusion that great amounts of munitions
were aboard.
"The German commander made sketch OF the
vessel attacked by him, two drawings of which are
inclosed. The picture of the steamer Sussex, two
copies Of which are also inclosed. Is reproduced
photogr aphically from the English paper The Daily
Graphic of the 9th ultimo.
"a comparison of the sketch and the picture shows
that the craft attacked Il not identical with the
Sussex. The difference in the position of the stack
and shape of the stern Is particularly striking.
"No other attack whatever by German submarines
at the time in question for the Sussex upon the
route betw cen Folkestone and Dieppe occurred The
German government must therefore, assume that the
injury to the Sussex is attributable to another cause
than attack by German submarine.
"For an explanation of the case the fact may, per-
haps be servceablc that less than twenty-six
English mines exploded by shots by German
naval forces in the Channel the first and second
of April alone The entire in that vicinity is in
fact endangered by floating mines and by torpedoes
that have not sunk of the English coast it is fur
ther endangered in an increasing degree through
German mines which have been laid against enemy
naval forces
Should the American government have az its dis
posal further material for conclusion upon the
case OF the Sussex the German government would
ask that it be communicated in order 70 subject this
material also TO investigation.
I'm the event that differences Of opinion should
develop hereby between the two governments, the
German governmnt declares itself ready 10 have
the facts of the established through mixed
missions of investigation in accordance with the third
title of The Hague agreement for the peaceful set
Element of international conhcts-Noyember IS 1907.
"The undersigned, while requesting that you com
municate the above TO the government Of the United
States takes occasion TO renew 20 the Ambassador
the assurance Of his distinguished esteem.
(Signed) "JAGOW"