New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-31
Ambassador Tells Bryan
Buying German Ships
Would Be Unneutral.
NOTICE SERVED
TWO WEEKS AGO
Despite This Administration
Continues Efforts 10 Pass Bill
Authorizing Purchase.

Washington. Jan. 30 Secretary
Bryan was informed BY the British
government less than fortnight ago
that 10 would consider the transfer 20
American registry Of a German, Aus
TRAN or Turkish ship as a nou-ucutral
act. he Was told that it mattercd not
90 the British government whether the
shipc were purchased for government
ownership on private ownership.
Despite this information. there was
no cessation Of the efforts OF the adj
minjstration TO pass the shipping bill
ON the contrary. the Democrats i'm
creased their efforts in the face Of
warnings from Senators Root and
Lodge that the passage OF the bill
meant that this country was heading
straight FOR wal
Tn conveying this intel lIgeucc 20 The
Secretary Of State the British Ambas-
-ador made use Of verbal express or
only, as 10 was not proper TO present
note or other written diplomatic com
mUnication DO advance Of the perform
anCe of the act II was cited 20 Mr.
Bryan that the position Of Russia and
of France on the question Of the
transfer Of registry Of mer liant ships
after the initiation Of hostiiities was
against such transfers. Russia and
France have adhered for centuries "a
the view that transfers Of registry dur
ing hostilIties were illegal
The British position. Mr.. Bryan was
informed. took different views OF the
case in different circumstances, but iu
this instance IL was against such trans
ferS. in the case OF the Dacla. pur-
chased by an American for use in the
transatlantic carving trade, the warn
ing was uttered 90 the State Depart
ment before ,he euunciation Of the
general principle, but II was this spe-
Ciic instance which evoked the official
utterancc from the British government
covering the general situation.
As pointed out In The Tribune Of
January 40, the state Department Of
fcials were then fully cognizaHt of the
dclicacy Of the situation which the
transfer Of the Dacia made. At the
State Department. ever since the ship
purchase bill has been pending IN Con
cress. there has been an insistent ad-
lcrcucc 20 the position that the de-
partment did not look for serious OBJ
lection from Great Britain or her al-
lies % the transfer of such ships.
The fact that the communication was
verbal i'm character and made to Sec
rotary Bryan directly is accepted as
accounting in a measure for the lack
Of publicity Mr.. Bryan was attending
n session Of the North Carolina Legis
laturc. Solicitor Cone Johnson. IN
whose hands all Of the matters regard.
ng the shipping question have been
repostd, declined TO comment on the
subject
The insistence Of the advocates OF
the ship purchase bill that IL was not
necessary for the United States to con-
Enc itself TO the market for German o.
Austrian ships, on the ground that
there were numerous ships ~ neutrals
rs we'll as British vessels for sale, was
answered to-day at tho British I'm
bassy with the statement that there
were no British cargo vessels in tho
market. Great Britain has by AN cor
der i'm council" declared am embargo
on the expectation Of ships.