The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-13
Declares Merchantmen Sent to
[ OF m Paid No Heed to Or
GERS to Stop
UNCERTAIN AS TO
SUSSEX CASE
Submarine Sunk Ship in the
Neighborhood on Day Of
Disaster, But Declares 1t Was
Not Sussex

Berlin. April 1s-The following is
the text of the German note on the
sinking OF the Sussex and four other
steamships dated April 10.
The undersigned has the honor to
inform your excellency. Anlbassado or
Gerard. in response to communtca-
tions regarding the steamers Sussex,
Manchester Engineer. Englishnan,
Berwindvale and Eagle Point that the
mentioned cases having been subjected
to careful investigation by the ad-
ntaralty staff OF the navy. which has
led to the following results:
First (the English steamer Ber-
wtndvale) A steamer which was pos
sihly the Rerwindvale. was encounter
ed on the evening of March l6 IN
sight of Bull Rock Light. on the Irish
coast. by a German submarine. The
steamer steamed away. She was ord
cred to halt hH a warming shot She
paid no attention and attempted 10
escarc The vessel was then fired
upon until halted and. without fur
Their orders lowered several boats.
After the crew entered the boats and
received noueh time to row away. the
ship was sunk.
'The lgue Of this steamer was not
established. il cannot be stated with
assurance jbat the incident concerns
TIM RcrNi ldVaIe Since. however the
Stea age- sank WAS tank steamer IKE
She Hervjrdvslc. the identity of the
sh3ps mas hc assumed. The statement
tbst the Brrwtndvale was torpedoed
a.. aaut warning would conflict with
the faci
Tried III Ran AWAY.
second The British steamer
EsuGhsAs uau) This steamer on March
- vns c@lIca Upon fp bait h3 a Ger
FnRu Submarine through two warning
sf5ts .ahcut twenty sea miles west Of
lss5s x r. aisYtsfes1 7yNe vessel pro-
ccede6 without needing and was
forced ~ Irii}ferv are 10 halt after a
e.rase. whcscupon she lowered boats
After the German cornmandant
haa convinced himself that the crew
>haa taken TO boats. nc sank the
Vt anJer
NTf5sf,ss The Manchester E4Ir4n@err
lit is impossible to establish whether
the attack on this steamer. which. ac-
cnrdiug 10 given description occurred
March . in the latitude Of Wader-
ford il attributable 10 a German sub
marine The statement regarding the
time and place Of the incident gives
no sufficient basis FOR investi cation.
II would he desirable to have more
exact statements of the place. time
and attendant circumstances of the at
tack by the American government.
Took No Notice of Signals.
-Four (The British steamer Eagle
Point This steamer in the forenoon
OF March 2s was called upon TO halt
by a German submarine through sig
nal and shot about one hundred
not 1so--sea miles from the south
west coast of Ireland, but proceeded.
She was thereupon fred upon until
halted, and, without further orders,
lowered two boats. in which the crew
took their places, After the com
mandant convinced himself that the
boats. which had hoisted sails, had
got clear. he sank the steamer,
Al the time northwest wind of
the strength OF two, not a storm
wind and light swell. not heavy
sea- as stated In the given descrip-
ton, prevailed. The boats therefore
had every prospect of being picked
up very quickly, because the place
OF the sinking lay on much used
sreamer path.
IF the crew of the steamer used
only two small boats for saving them
selves. the responsibility falls upon
themselves, since there were still
upon the steamer as the submarine
could establish, at least four big col
.apstoie boats.
rI.sn 'rIehsn anier sussex.
Eussex was damaged by German sub
I.sar.hs WIS renaered extremely df-
Hru'l, nosause no $500 uetaiis OF time,
80 a,.s $780,, 80 h !.
.ss,sIa - ah+sir eto..'s ~
lh..ps hasora 49,, &c Sa..,.a ~
~ ,rvest;s.,tan axtaraas ~, a,.
.inrs on NE dav IN anest,,n--Marc rob
~
a Iopr R,acl C,raft