Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-14

vessel, and, indeed, a mine layer of
the recently built English Arabs
class.
Gle was led to that conviction
by the following facts, first by the
plain, unbroken deck of the ship;
second, the form of the stern,
sloping downward and backward
like war vessel; third, she was
paitned like a war vessel; fourth,
the high speed developed, about IS
knots; fifth, the circumstances that
the vessel did not keep a course
northward of the light buoys be-
tween Dungeness and Beachy Head,
which, according to the frequent
and unvarying observations of Ger
man submarines is about the course
of commercial vessels. but kept in
the middle of the channel on a
course about in the direction of lie
Havre.
Consequently, he attacked the
vessel at 1855 in the afternoon, mid
die European time, one and one
half sea miles east of Bull Rock
(Bullock?J bank the submarine be-
ing submerged. The torpedo
struck and caused such a violent
explosion in the forward part of
the ship that the entire forward
part was torn away to the bridge.
CLAIMS MUNITIONS ABOARD.
''The particularly violent ex-
plosion warrants the certain conclu-
sion that great amounts of NUM-
lions were aboard.
1.-THE German commander made a
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 repro
duced photographically from the
English paper, The Daily Graphic,
of the 9th ultimo.
"a comparison of the sketch and
the picture shows that the craft
attacked is not identical with the
Sussex; the difference in the posi-
ton 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 between Folkstone and Dieppe
occurred. The German government
must therefore assume that the in
jury to the Sussex Is attributable
to another cause than at at
tack by a German submarine.
For an explanation of the case
the fact may perhaps be service
able that no less than twenty-six
English mines were exploded by
shots by German naval forces in
the channel on the first and Sec
ond of April alone. The entire sea
in that vicinity is, in fact, endan-
gered by floating mines and by tor
pedoes that have not sunk. Off the
English coast it is further endan-
gered in an increasing degree
through German mines which have
been laid against enemy naval
forces.
SHOULD the American govern
ment have at it's disposal further
material for a conclusion upon the
case of the Sussex, the German
government would ask that it be
communicated, in order to subject
this materia! also to an investi-
cation.
"In the event that differences of
opinion should develop hereby be-
tween the two governments, the
German government now declares
itself ready to have the facts of
the case established through mixed
commission of investigation in ac-
cordance with the third article of
The Hague agreement for the
peaceful settlement of international
confIicts-November IS. 1907.
"The Undersigned, while re-
ouesting that you communicate the
above to the government of the
United States, takes occasion to re-
new to the ambassador the assur-
ance Of his distinguished esteem.
(Stenedl "JAGOW."