The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-10-19
LANSING REPLIES
TO NOTE AS TO FRYE
Germany Told Americans Must Not Be
Turned Adrift In Small Boats
Under Any Circumstances.
RELIEVED THIS NOTE
ENDS CORRESPONDING
ALI Features OF Celebrated Case
Have Been Agreed On and Commits
sioners to Adjust Matter VIII Soon
Be Named.

Washington, Oct 18-The State
Department today made public the
text OF Its note to Germany, in which
it Ia declared that the German pro-
cedure Of putting passengers and crews
OF merchantment into small boats on
the open sea does not, in tho opinion
| OF this government. satisfy the public
provisions OF International law. re-
Quiring belligerent warships to put
such persons in place OF safety be-
fore destroying merchantmen.
This declaration Is regarded as hav-
Ing an important bearing on the sub
marine controversy, though It is con-
tanned In a note to HE German gov
eminent dealing with the case of the
American ship William p. Frye. sunk
by the German cruiser Prinz Eitel
Friedrich last winter.
In making this declaration the
United States Is imposing as a con-
dition of it's agreement to Germany's
assertion that pending the settlement
Iof q disputed Interpretation Of the
at liberty TO destroy American vessels
carrying absolute contrnhand TO Ger
manys enemies, It is the opinion OF
omcials here that II Germany con-
SCENTS to arbitration under these con-
ditions. she will be estopped from ex-
iercising the right she claims, ~ II
wifi not be practicable for her subma-
r1nes 70 do anything with passengers
or crews OF such American merchant
men except to put them adrift in small
boats.
1t is tho opinion Of officiAls here that
1.-THE note made public here today will
terminate the correspondence In the
Frye case which has extended over q
period of ak mpnths
| The question in dispute Is whether
the treaty OF 1898 does or does not
prohibit the sinking OF American ves-
sells carrying ,contraband under any
and all circumstances. Germany con-
tending that It does not forbid the
sinking OF such a vessel when It II
iimpra ctical for q German warship to
take the vessel into port for discharge
i of its contraband.
| Text Of Note.
| The text OF the Frye note is as fol-
lows:
| Washington. Oct. IL, 1915
! You are instructed to present the
| following note to the German minis
ter of foreign anairG
I In reply to your excellency's note
f, OF September 10. on the subject OF
the claim for damages for the sink
| ing or the American HeECHhEtlH1A
| William p. Frye. I am Instructed by
| the government Of the United States
to say that 1t notes with satisfaction
the willingness of the imperial Ger.
man government to settle the ques-
tons at issue in this case by refer.
ring to Joint commission OF experts
the amount of the indemnity to be
paid by the imperial German govern
ment under its admitted liability fol-
the loss OF the owners ami Captain
on account OF the destruction Of tbs
vessel. and by referring to arhttra-
ton the question Of the intsrpreta-
ton Of treaty rights. The govern.
ment OF the United States further
notes that In agreeing to this arrange
ment tho imperial German govern.
ment expressly states that in making
| payment It does not acknowledge the
violation Of the treaty - contended
by the government OF the United
| States. and that the settlement OF the
! question Of indemnity does not pre-
| 1udice the Arrangement of the differ
ences Of opinion between the two gov