The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-07-15
GERMAN REPLY RECEIVED.
AMERICAN LIVES ON NEUTRAL
SHIPS WILL NOT BIZ HARMED.
Hope Expressed That Washington
Will See That Neutrals DO
Not Carry Contraband.

embodied in the reply to the Amerl-
can note regarding the sinking OF
the Lusitania and submarine war
fare, which was delivered to Ameri-
can Ambassador Gerard last night,
is:
First. Reiterated assurance that
American ships engaged in legiti-
mate trade will not be interfered
with. nor the lives of Americans on
neutral ships be endangered.
Second. That German submarines
will be instructed to allow American
passenger ships to pass freely and
safely, Germany entertaining in re-
turn the confident hope that the
American government will see that
these ships do not carry contraband;
such ships to be provided with dis
tinguishing marks and their arrival
announced a reasonable time in ad-
vance. The same privilege is extend
ed to a reasonable number of Amerl-
can ships under the American flag,
and should the number of ships thus
available for passenger service prove
inadequate Germany is willing to
permit America to place four hostile
passenger steamers under the Ameri-
can flag to ply between North Amerl-
ca and Europe under the same con-
ditions.
The text of the note follows:
Text of the Note.
Berlin, July s.
"The undersigned has the honor
to make the following reply to his
Excellency, Ambassador Gerard, to
the note of the 10th ultimo re the
impairment of American interests by
the German submarine war.
The imperial government learned
with satisfaction from the note how
earnestly the government of the
United States is concerned in seeing
the principles of humanity realized
in the present war. Also this appeal
finds ready echo in Germany, and the
imperial government is quite willing
to permit it's statements and decls-
ions in the present case to be gov
erned by the principles of humanlt.
just as it has done always.
"The imperial government welcom-
ed with gratitude when the Amerl-
can government in the note OF May
Is itself recalled that Germany al
ways had permitted itself to be gov
erned by the principles of progress
and humanity in dealing with the
law of maritime war. Since the
time when Frederick the Great ne
gotiated with John Adams, BenJa-
min Franklin and Thomas Jefferson
the treaty of friendship and COM
merce of September 9, 1885, between
Prussia and the republic Of the west,
German and American statesmen
have. in fact, always stood together
in the struggle for the freedom OF
the seas and for the protection or
peaceable trade. In the internatlon-
al proceedings, which since have
been conducted for the regulations
of the laws of maritime war, Ger
many and America have Jointly ad-
yocated progressive principles, es-
pecially the abolishment of the right
of capture at sea and the protection
of the interests of neutrals.
At Beginning of War.
J. Even at the beginning of the
present war the German government
Immediately declared it's willingness,
in response to proposals of the Amer
ican government, to ratify the Dec
laration of London and thereby sub
iect itself in the use Of its naval
forces to all the restrictions provid-
ed therein in favor of neutrals. Ger
many likewise has been always tena-
cious of the principle that war should
be conducted against the armed and
organized forces of an enemy coun-
try, but that the enemy civilian popu-
lation must be spared as far as pos
sible from the measures Of war. The
Imperial government cherisheS the
definite hope that some way will be
found when peace is concluded. or
perhaps earlier, TO regulate the law
of maritime war in manner guaran-
teeing the freedom of the seas. and
will welcome it with gratitude and
satisfaction if it can work hand in
hand with the American government
on that occasion.
If in the present war the princl-
pies which should be the ideal of the
future have been traversed more and
more, the longer its duration, the
German government has no guilt
therein. 1t is known to the Ameri-
can government how Germany's ad-