Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-05-11
Won Jagow Hands Note 10 AM
baSSador Gerard in Which
Il Is Agreed TO Pay Indem-
nifty for Damages,
SUBMARINE COMMANDER
HAS BEEN PUNISHED
Delay Of Notification TO United
States Due to Lack of Sat
iSfactory Evidence, Is State
ment.

tsy sosNlAo JOURNAL spEciAL LsAsso vistl
Washington, May l0.--Secretary
Lansing received message from Am
bassador Gerard today giving notice
that a new note in the Sussex case had
been handed him and was on the way
to Washington. It has been Indicated
that the German government now ad-
mlts attacking the Sussex, gives mo-
tice that the submarine commander
responsible has been punished, and
promises TO make reparation.
The German note. signed by For
eign Minister Won Jagow and address
ed to Ambassador Gerard. is dated
May and the ambassadors cable
gram transmitting 1t May 3. The text
follows:
Text OF the Note.
"Supplementng his note Of the fth
instant concerning the conduct of the
German submarine warfare. the un-
dersigned has the honor to inform
his exccllency, the American ambas-
sador, Mr. james w. Gerard, that fur
ther investigation made by the Ger
man naval authorities concerned In
regard to the French steamship Sus-
sex. on the basis of the American ma
teriul has been concluded In the
meantime. In conformity with the
result of this investigation the as
sumption expressed in the note Of the
undersigned of the 10th ultimo, that
the damage of the Sussex was TO be
traced back to a cause other than the
attack Of a German submarine, cam
not be maintained
Explains Previous Error.
"Such an assumption had to be ar
rived at with certainty from the ma
teriaI in the possession of the German
government for itself and without
further knowledge Of the circum-
stances connected with the torpedo
ing of the Sussex. especially in view
of the fact that apart from the points
enumerated in the note Of the lQth.
the following facts had come to the
attention of the admiralty of the navy
through reliable information.
March "a. 1916, approximately at
the same time as the Sussex, an aux
iliary warship left the port of Folke-
stone. with u large transport OF Brit
ish infantry on board, on the same
day a transport steamer was torpe-
doed In the channel: few minutes
preceding the explosion on the Sussex
she had passed through a mass OF
shlpwreckage, which created the I'M
preston that a ship had sunk at thati
spot shortly before. All these facts
Justified the conclusion that the only
case of torpedoing which could De
considered under the circumstances
had struck the British var vessel
whereas the Sussex had met with al
accident in some other way
American Evidence Convincing.
However, ON the basis of the,
American material, the German gov
eminent cannot withhold It's convic-
tion that the ship torpedoed by the
German submarine is in fact Identical
with the Sussex for, in accordance
with this material. the place. the time
ana the effect of the explosion by
which the Sussex was damaged, agree
in the essential details with the state
ments of the German commander, 80
that there no longer IL any question
OF the possibility Of two Independent
occurrences. An additional reason Is
constituted by the fact that officers
of the American navy found fras-
mcpts of an explosive In the hold of
the Sussex which are described by
them as parts Of a German torpedo.
Finally the counter evidence which
was dedueed in the note of the tenth
ultimo from the difference in appear
ance of the vessel described by the
submarine commander and the only
reproduction of the Sussex then avail
able, has proven to be untenablei in
asmuch as, according TO q photograph
of the damaged Sussex, now on hand.
the Characteristic distinctions no long
er existed at the time of the accident.
while the Sussex in the photograph Of
the Daily Graphic enclosed n the note
carried only one mast and also showed
the white gangway customary on pas
senger vessels on the level with The
port holes O. ". S., the reproduction
Of the damaged Sussex shows n second
mast ana q uniform dark color, and
thus approaches In her outer appear
ance the description Of the vessel as
furnished by the submarine comman
der.
Gci1nan Commander Erred
In view Of the general impression
of all the facts at hand, the German
government considers it beyond doubt
that the commander of the submarine
acted In the bona fide belief that he
was facing an enemy warship. On
the other hand. II cannot he denied
that misled by the appearance of the
vessel, under the pressure of Tie II
oumstances. he formed his judgment
too hliriedly lh establishing he char
acter and did not. therefore, act fD'lv
IN accordance With the strict nstruc-