Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1915-06-03
Herman Foreign Minister An
Swers American Note.
REPLY IS NOT DEFINITE
Issues Involved Declared to Be Of
Such Importance That a Common
Basis Of Fact Should Be Reached
Before Further Discussion.

Berlin, June line German rep1y
to the protest of the United States
against Germany's submarine war.
fare has been made public here. 1t
says in part:
Regarding, firstly, the cases ofthe
American steamers Gushing and Gulf
light. The American embassy already
has been informed that the German
government has no intention of sub.
mitting neutral ships In the war zone
which are guilty of no hostile acts to
attacks byA submarine or submarines
or aviators.!
If neutral ships In recent months
have suffered through the German
submarine warfare, owing to mis-
takes In Identification, it is q question
emily of quite isolated and exceptional
cases, which can be attributed to the
British governments abuse of fags,
together with the suspicious or cc:pa-
ble behavior of the masters of she
ships.
"The German government in all
cases in which 1t has been shown by
its investigation that neutral ship,
not 1nself at fault, was damaged by
German submarines or aviators. has
expressed regret over the unfortunate
attack and if justified by conditions
has offered indemnification.
FaIaba Captain Blamed.
when sinking the British steamer
Falaba the commander of the German
submarine had the intention of allow
Ing the passengers and crew a full
opportunity for safe escape. Only
when the master did not obey the or
der to heaye to, but fed and summon
ED y help by rocket Signals did -the
German commander order-'thea crew
and passengers by signals and mega
phones to leave the ship within ten
minutes. He actually allowed them
twenty-three minutes time and fired
the torpedo only when suspicious
craft were Fastening to the assistance
of the Falaba.
Regarding the loss of life by the
sinking of the British passenger
steamer Lusitania the German gov
neutral governments concerned its
keen regret that citizens of their
states lost their lives.
The government of the United
States proceeds on the assumption
that the Lusitania could be regarded
man. The imperial government al
lows itself, in this connection, to point
out that the Lusitania was one of the
largest and fastest British merchant
ships, built with government funds as
an auxiliary cruisef and carried ex.
pressly as such in the navy list is
sued by the admiralty.
Had Mounted Cannon Aboard
1T is further known to the imperial
government from trustworthy reports
from its agents and neutral passen-
gers that for considerable time prac-
tically all the more valuable British
merchantmen have been equipped
with cannon and ammunition and
other weapons and manned with per-.
sons who have been specially trained
in serving guns. The Lusitania, too,
according to information received
here. hdd- cannon aboard; which were
mounted and concealed below decks.
1.-THE imperial government further
has the honor to direct the particular
attention of the American government
to the fact that the British admiralty,
in a confidential instruction issued in
February, 1915, recommended its
mercantile shipping not only to seek
protection under neutral flags and
distinguishing marks, but also while
thus disguised to attack German sub
marines by ramming.
Finally, the imperial government
must point out particularly that the
l.usitania, on it's last trip as on
earlier occasions, carried Canadian
troops and war material, including no
less than $500 cases of ammunition.
Internal Explosion on Liner.
There can be no doubt, according
to the definite report of the subma-
rine's commander, which is further
confirmed by all other information,
that the quick sinking of the Lusi-
tania is principally attributable to the
explosion of the ammunition ship
ment caused by the torpedo. The Lu-
sitania's passengers would otherwise
in all human probability have been
saved.
"The imperial government, while
Withholding It's final decision on the
demands advanced in connection with
the sinking of the Lusitania until re-
ceipt Of an, answer from the American
government, feels impelled IN. concln.
sion 10 recall here and now. that It