The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-02-17
SENDS STRONG NOTES
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CONTINUED from page one.)
chant vessels presumably for the pur-
pose of avoiding recognition by Ger
man naval forces.
The departments attention also
has been directed to reports In the
press that the captain Of the Lusi-
tania, acting upon orders or informa-
ton received from the British ad-
miralty, used the American flag in
approach to the British coast in order
to avoid anticipated attack by Ger
man submarines. To-days press re-
ports also contain an alleged official
statement Ct the foreign Office defend
ing the use of the flag Of neutral
county by belligerent vessel in or
der to escape capture or attack by an
enemy.
Assuming that the foregoing re-
ports are true, the government Of the
United States, reserving for future
consideration the legality and pro-
priety of the deceptive use Of the flag
of a neutral power in any case for the
purpose of avoiding capture, desires
very respectfully to point out to his
Britannia majesty's government the
serious consequences which may re-
suit to American vessels and Ameri-
can citizens if this practice Is con-
tinued.
1.-The occasional use of the flag OF
neutral or an enemy under the
stress of immediate pursuit and to
deceive an approaching enemy, which
appears by the press reports to be
represented as the precedent and JUS
tiflcatiou used to support this action,
seems to this government a very diff
| ferent thing from an explicit sanction
by belligerent government for Its
merchant ships generally to fly the
| flag of a neutral power within Ger
tain portions of the high seas which
are presumed to be freQuented with
hostile warships.
The formal declaration Of such
policy of general misuse of a neu'
trails flag jeopardizes the vessels o!
the neutral visiting those waters in
peculiar degree by raising the pre-
sumption that they are of belligeren'
nationality regardless of the das
which they may carry.
"'In view Of the announced pur
pose of the German admiralty to en-
gage in active naval operations in Ger
tain delimited sea areas adjacent t
the coasts of Great Britain and Ire
land, the government of the Unitet
| States would view with anxious sollc
itude any general use Of the flag o
the United States by British Vessel
traversing those waters.
"a policy such as the one which
| his majesty's government is said K
intend to adopt, would, if the declara
ton of the German admiralty be pu
| in force, it seems clear, afford no pro
lection to British vessels, while i
would be a serious and constant men
ace to the lives and vessels Of Aneri
can citizens.
The government Of the. United
States therefore trusts that his maj
esty's government will do all in thei
| power to restrain vessels If British
nationality from deceptive use OF tn
flag of the United States in the are'
defined in the German declaration
since such practice would greatly en-
danger the vessels Of friendly pow
er navigating these waters and woul!t
even seem to impose on the govern
ment Of Great Britain a measure 0
responsibility for the loss Of Ameri
can lives and vessels in case Of an at
| tack by a German naval force.
"'You will impress upon hi
majesty's government the grave con
cern which this government feels il
the circumstances in regard to tn
safety of American vessels and live
in the war zones declared by the Ger
man admiralty.
| "'You may add that this govern
ment is making earnest representa-
tons to the German government Il
regard to the danger to America
vessels if the decision of the Ger rnal
admiralty is put into effect.