The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-01-06
FULL TEXT OF THE
AUSTRIAN NOTE
(Contlnued from Page One.)

keel and settled so slowly that tn
e submarine commander at FIRST doubt
ed whether the steamer would sink
, Not until I go o'clock did It sink, az
ter a lengthy parallel settling, will
= the bow first.
During these further forty-hyc min
utcs all persons yet aboard coulC
have been saved without difficulty
with the boats sull on hand.
From the fact that this, contrary tC
!. his expectations, was not done, the
commander concluded that the crew,
contrary to all seaman's customs, had
accomplished their own rescue with
the first boats and abandoned to them
selves the passengers entrusted to
their protection.
The weather at the time Of the in
cident was good and the sea calm, so
that the life boats could have reached
the nearest coast without danger, ns
indeed, the life boats actually we're
| damaged only by the unskilled lover
ing, but not after they had struck the
water.
The loss Of human lives Is, in the
first instance, by no means ascrlbable
to the sinking Of the ship but, and in
all probability in a much higher meas
ure, to the rapid lowering CHinunter
Werfen) Of the boats during full
speed as well as to the fact that the
crew, concerning only for itself, did
not rescue the passengers of the cap
sized boats.
It IS also probably ascribnble tol
shots which hit the fleeing vessel, hut
the death Of persons who sank with
the steamer is also, above all, ascriba-
BILE to the disloyal conduct Of the
crew.
As appears from the aDOve adduced
state of affairs, the very esteemed note
Of December 0 is based in many points
on incorrect premises.
Information reaching the United
States government that solid shot was
Immediately fired toward the steamer
Is incorrect; It is incorrect that the
submarine overhauled the steamer
during the chase; it is Incorrect that
only n brief period was given for get
ting the people into the boats. On the !
contrtry, an unusually long period
was granted to the Ancona for getting |
passengers in the boats.
Finally, it Is incorrect that a num-
hcr Of shells were still fired ut The
steamer after it had stopped
The facts of the case demonstrate
further that the commander Of the
submarine granted the steamer a full
forty-fye minutes time; that is, more
than an adequate period to give the
persons aboard an opportunity 10 take
to the boats.
Then, since the people were not all
saved he carried out the torpedoing in
such a manner that the ship would re-
main above water the longest posi-
bic time, doing this with the purpose
II making possible the abandonment
If the vessel on boats still on hand
Since the ship remained a further
forty-tiye minutes above water, he
would have accomplished his PURPOSE
4 the crew Of the Ancona had not
abandoned the passengers IN a man-
ler contrary to duty.
With full consideration, however, of
his conduct Of the commander, aim
ID at accomplishing the rescle Of the
rev and passengers. the Imperial and
'oyal marine authorities reached the
Conclusion that he had omitted to
AXE adequately into consideration
he panic that had broken out among
he passengers, which rendered diff
ut the taking to the boats, and the
pirit Of the regulation hat imperial
nd royal marine officers shall fail in
living help to nobody in need, not
ven to an enemy. d
Therefore the officer was punished !
accordance with the existing rules. Q
'r exceeding his instructions. L
The imperial and royal government y
the face Of this state Of affairs does "
OF hesitate to draw the correspond o
lg conclusions respecting the indem- r.
i6cation Of American citizens affect.
! by the sinking Of the prize, hut in
MS regard 1t makes the following I
atement:
The investigation into the sinking
the Ancona could naturally furnish nj
essential point to show in how far III
right to an indemnity is TO he grant 81,
American citizens. ,u
The imperial and royal government IN
mot, indeed, even. according to the 8,
ew Of the Washington ,nbinct, he II
Id liable for damages which result II
from the undoubtedly Justified II
mbardment Of the fleeing ship. a,