New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-20
BRITAIN NSINCERE,
GERMANS ASSERT
Berlin Declares Violation
of Neutrality Did Not
Cause War.
PACT WITH FRANCE
HAD LONG EXISTED
Foreign Office Also Says There
Was Agreement with Russia
for Transport Landings.

Berlin, Sept. 4.--Nobody IN Germany
is willing to admit the sincerity OF
Great Britain in basng its declaration
of war upon Germany's violation of the
territory Of Belgium and Luxembourg,
and much alleged evidence is produced
in newspaper and magazines 20 prove
that Great Britain haG already made
up its mind to join France and Russia
previous 20 Germany's advance upon
Belgian territory.
In the highest circles Of the German
government it is claimed that the For
eign Office has evidence that Great
Britain was negotiating with Russia
several months before the war broke
out to furnish ships for q descent OF
Russian troops on the coast Of Pome-
rama, which lies on the Baltic Sea, to
the north Of Berlin, but it appears that
nothing came of these negotiations.
Another curious and timely piece OF
evidence is presented in the shape of
an item purporting to be from the
Paris "Gil Bias" of February %, 1913.
That paper on this date is said TO have
published the following:
"a newspaper of Eastern France has
revealed a highly interesting piece OF
news. In military circles there 1t IS
related that large stocks of British
ammunition have for several weeks
been brought into Maubeuge, near the
northeastern frontier of France, on
the railway line from Paris to Cologne.
The City of Maubeuge is of great mill
tary Importance. II is designated IN
the French General Stats plan of
campaign as the concentration point
for the allied troops, which will be
commanded, in case of "A war, by the
English field marshal, Sir John French,
under General JofFre. as commander in
chief. II is we'll known that British
cannon fire a different projectile from
those Of France. The two govern
ments. however, have reached an
agreement to accumulate on French
territory in time of peace the neces-
sary war supplies of ammunition for
TIE British artillery"
France Promised Support.
That Sir Edward Grey, the British
Foreign Secretary, had substantially
agreed to give France military support
in the event of a war with Germany is
also regarded in German circles as
proved by the notes Of the French and
British Foreign Ministers which were
read in the British Parliament and in
the French Embassy about the middle
of August.
Dispatches announcing that Great
Britain had held up neutral Neither
lands ships and taken from them Ger
man reserves, and that she had also
taken German mails from neutral ships
have caused much bitter comment in
Germany. In respect 70 the arrest and
detention of the 400 German reserves
who were on their way home from New
York on the Dutch liner Noordam, it is
asserted here that Great Britain's act
is a fragrant violation of the Declare
tion of London.
Seizure of Mail Alleged.
! In regard to the seizure of German
mails. il is also contended that thi!
was contrary to the Hague Convention
of 1907, which declares that the mails
of a belligerent state carried on neutral
vessels are inviolable.
/ But this does not end the chapter OF
/ complaints against Great Britain. Still
| another grievance is that on August /
/ three days before Great Britain's dec
! laration of war, the British authorities
at Port Said detained the German
/ steamer Duifiinger and removed parts
! of her machinery, so that she could not
proceed; in some cases, too. he wire
less apparatus of German ships was re-
moved and sent ashore. All this oc-
Cured. German officials point out, con-
trary to the neutral character of the
Suez Canal. stipulated in treaties, and
on which Great Britain largely based
it's action in the Panama Canal nego-
tiations with the United States.