The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-11

follows:
 ..The Secretary of State Ad Interim to
 the American Ambassador at Berlin. u
 "Department of State,
 'Washington, June 9, 1915.
 ''American Ambassador, Berlin: You
 are instructed to deliver textually the
 following note to the minister of foreign
 affairs =
 Tn compliance with your cNSoiiSiissss s
 request 1 did not fail to transmit to my
 government immediately upon their re-
 ceipt your note of May 2S, in reply to
 my note of May l5, and your supplemen- tary note nf June 1, setting forth the con- clusions so far as reached by the imperial German government concerning the at tacks on the American steamers Cushing and Gulflight. I am now instructed by my government to communicate the fol- lowing in reply:
 "The government of the United States
 notes with qualification the full recogni-
 ton by the imperial German government,
 in discussing the cases of the Gushing and
 the Gulflght of the principle of the free dom of all parts of the open sea to neu- tral ships and the frank willingness of the imperial German government to acknowledge and meet it's liability where the fact of attack upon neutral ships. which have not been guilty of any hos tile act by German aircraft, or vessels of war, is satisfactorily esta ablished and the government of the United States will,
 in due course. lay before the imperial German government, as it requests full
 information concerning the attack on the steamer Cushing
 SURPRISED AT
 GERMANY'S STAND With regard to the sinking of the steamer Falaba by which an American citizen lost his life. the government of the United States is surprized to find the imperial German government contend ing that an effort on the part of rner- chantman to escape capture and secure assistance alters the obligation of the of ficer seeking to make the capture in re- spect of the safety of the lives of those cn board the merchantmen, although the vessel had ceased her. attempt to escape when torpedoed These are not new cir cumstances. They have been in the minds of stateH,nen} and of iIiternational jurists throughout the development of naval war, fare. and the government of the United States does not understand that they have ever been aheld to alter the prircrpies ol humanity upon which 1t has insisted <fOthiH6 7Dot dk@tdt1t AOiNIbits It5iStaiiSt LII continued efforts 10 escape by flight wher ordered to stop for the. purpose of visi on the part of the merchantman has ever been held to forfeit the lives of her pa s. sengers or crew. The government of thu United States. however does not under stand that the imperial; German govern Ment is seeking In sthis case to relieve itself of liability, but only intends to se forth the eircunistAnces which led tn, commander of the submarines to allow himself to he hurried into the cours, which he took.
 "Your excellencys note In discus sing the loss of American lives result ing from the sinking of the steamshil Lusitania, adverts at some length tt certain information which the imperia German government has received witt regard to the character and outfit C. | that vessel and your excellency ex presses the fear that this information may not have been brought to the at tention of the government of the Uni ted States. It is stated in the Lot that the Lusitania was undoubtedl. equipped with masked guns, supplied with trained gunners and special am intuition, transporting troops iron Canada, carrying cargo not per mitted under the laws of the United States to vessel also carrying pas sengers, and serving. in virtual effect l as an auxiliary to the naval forces o Great Britain.
 THE LUSITANIA
 WAS NOT ARMED
 Fortunately. these are matters con cerning which the government of tn United States Is in a position to giv the imperial German government off cial information. Of the facts alleec in your excellency's note.. If true, th government of the United States w0ul