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

lated April 10, as given here to the A
ociated Press correspondent:
Undersigned has the honor to
inform your excellency, Ambassador
Gerard, in response to communica-
tions of the 29th and 30th ultimo
and the Sd instant regarding the
steamers Sussex, Manchester En-
gineer, Englishman, Berwindvale
and Eagle Point, that the mentioned
cases in accordance with our notes
of the 30th and 31st ultimo and the
4th and 9Th instant, have been
subjected to careful investigation
by which the admiral staff of the
navy, which has led to the follow
ing results:
TWO STEAMERS SUNK.
"First-The English steamer Ber-
windvale. A steamer which was
possibly the Berwindvale was en-
countered on the evening of March
10 in sight of Bull Rock Light, on
the Irish coast, by a German sub
marine. The steamer, as soon as
she noticed the submarine, which
was running unsubmerged, turned
and steamed away. She was or
dered to halt by a warning shot.
She paid no attention, however, to
this warning, but extinguished all
lights and attempted to escape.
The vessel was then fired upon until
halted, and, without further orders,
lowered several boats. After the
crew entered the boats and re-
ceived enough time to row away,
the ship was sunk.
THE name of this steamer was
not established; it cannot be stated
with assurance, even with the help
of the details which were furnished
by the American embassy, that the
above described incident concerns
the steamer Berwindvale. Since,
however the steamer sunk was a
tank steamer like the Berwindvale,
the identity Of the ships may be as
sumed. In this case, however, the
statement made that the Berdind-
vale was torpedoed without warn
ing would conflict with facts.
"Second-The British steamer
Englishman. This steamer on
March 2, was called upon to halt
by a German submarine through
two warning shots about twenty
sea miles west of Islay (Hebrides).
without needing the warning and
was therefore forced by the subma-
rine by artillery fire to halt after
an extended chase, whereupon she
lowered boats without further or
ders.
after the German commandant
had convinced himself that the crew
had taken to the boats and roweu
from the ship he sank the steamer
ADMISSION AND DOUBT
"Third-The British steamer
Manchester Engineer. 1t is I'M
uoaeible to establish through the
Investigation up to the present
whether the attack on this steam
err. which, according to the gN-
en- description, occurred on March
81 in the latitude of waterford
"a attributable to a German subma-
rine. The statement regarding the
time and place of the incident gives
no sufficient basis for investiga-
t,on. 1t would therefore be desir-
able to have more exact statements
of the place, time and attendant
circum stances of the attack report
ed by the American government IN
order that the investigation there
upon might be brought TO con-
clusion.
"Fourth-The British Steamer
Eagle Point. This steamer in the
afternoon of March % was called
upon to halt by a German suoma-
rine, through signal and shot about
one hundred-not one hundred ana
thirty-sea miles from the SOUTH
west coast of, Ireland, but proceeq-
ed. She was therefore fired upon
until halted and, without further
orders lowered two boats in which
the crew took their places. After
the commandant convinced himself
that the boats, which had hoisted
sails, had gotten clear of the steam
er, he sank the steamer.
"At the time of the sinking a
north-northwest wind of the
strength of two, not q storm
wind and a light swell, not a
heavy sea- as stated in the given
description, prevailed. The boats
therefore had every prospect of be-
ing picked up very quickly because
the place of the sinking lay on a
much-used steamer path.
"If the crew of the steamer used
only two small boats for saving
themselves, the responsibility falls
upon themselves, since there were
still upon the steamer, as the sub
marine could establish, at least four
big collapsible boats.
"Fifth-The French steamer Sus-
sex-Ascertainment of the fact
whether the channel steamer Sus-
sex was damaged by a German
submarine was rendered ex-
tremely difficult because no exact
detail5 of time, place and attend
ant circumstances of the sinking
were known and also because ii
was impossible to obtain a pic
ture of the ship before April 6.
Consequently the investigation had
to be extended to all actions under
taken on the day in question
March 24--in the channel in the
general region betwewen Folkstone
and Diippe.
I'm this region on March "a a
long, black craft, without a flag
having a gray funnel, small gray
forward works and twow high
masts, was encountered about the
middle Of the English channel by
German submarine. The Ger
man commander reached the def.
Mite combustion that n was a war