The Washington times., 1915-03-13
FIVE BRITISH SHIPS go
WAITING FOR E|TEL
German Vessel Hemmed In BY
Fleet Of Enemy's War Dogs
Near Newport News.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

| (Iontlnued from FIRST PaRe.)
day before Counselor Lansing. Of the
State Department. and Acting Secretary
Peters. of the Treasury Department.
TO these officials. he gave a detailed
liam B. & sewail. val '" Of Bath, Me'. Of sewall
present.
Although great secrecy was preserved
| as to the details of Captain Kiehne's s
| after the hearing that there. was Moth
ing in what he disclosed. either through
his testimony or his papers. which either
showed or tended to show the cargo
tined for belligerent use.
The whole course of the testimony was
to show that the cargo, which was con-
signed from Seattle to Queenstown FOR
orders" was non-contraband.
1t was given out htat the details as
to the sinking OF the American vessel
by the German raider were substantially
as published hitherto.
Closeted in the room where the hear
ing was held for a part Of the time
were the members Of the neutrality
board
Before the statement Of Captain
Kiehne was made to Messrs. Lansing
and Peters. Secretary Bryan had talk
with Mr.. Sewell. Mr.. Sewall is rela-
tive of Arthur Sewall. who made tho
race on the Democratic ticket with Mr.
Bryan in 1896.
After Captain Kiehne made his state
ment. he and Mr.. Sewall went to the
office Of Solicitor Johnson. of the state
Department, a short time. and then con-
ferred with Secretary OF the Navy
Daniels The object of this conference
however, that Captain iehne told Secre-
tary Daniels facts as to the condition
OF the Prinz Eitel Friedrich.
Both Captain Kiehne and Mr. Sewall
were cautioned not to talk FOR publica-
ton.
Bernstorff Sees Lansing.
At the very time when Captain Kiehne
was in the Department of State to make
his statement Ambassador Won Bern
storff, the German ambassador. arrived.
He had an audience with Counsellor
Lansing Immediately after the hearing
Of Captain Kehne.
Secretary E,'yan. He was later asked
what course his government would
take. He said:
"The German government has not tho
slightest intention of disregarding legal
niceties. We shall observe all the
amenities due from one friendly nation
to another
The ambassador said his government
had as yet scarcely received his report,
and that thus far he had received no
orders as to what course to take.
The impression Of officials here today
continues to be that the Eitel Friedrich
will intern. No positive information to
this effect has been received by this
Government. But the condition OF the
Eitel Friedrich and the fact that Brit
ish cruisers will almost surely sink the
vessel If she dashe to sea again point
in the direction that interment Is the
only sane policy to be pursued.
States German Position.
According to Ambassador Bernstorf.
the cargo Of the Frye was consigned
'"for orders" to Queenstown. falmouth
or Plymouth, all Of which, as he says.
are fortified places -: ~..-
The ambassador pointed out that the
commander Of the Prinz Eitel Friedrich
reported that he had been on the water
since the first day Of the war Tho
Declaration Of London was his last
legal guide. When he went to sea,
wheat consigned to fortified ports was
contraband. according to the Declara
ton of London. The American Govern
ment had not ratified this, but indi-
Gated 1t proposed to consider 1t as bind
ing The German government August
3 issues a prize order in which 1t was
held that consignment Of foodstuffs to