The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-12
TEXT OF UNITED STATES NOTES 10 GERMANY AND ENGLAND ABOUT
 OUR SHIPS AND USE OF COLORS

The department has been advised of the declaration of the German Ad- miralty on Feb. 4, indicating that the British government had on. Jan. S1. explicitly auth orized the use of neutral flags on British merchant vessels, pre- sumably for the purpose of avoiding recognition by German naval forces The departments attention has also been directed to reports in the press that the captain of the Lusitania, act ing upon orders or information re- cetved from the British authorities, raised the American flag as his vessel approached the British coasts, in or der to escape anticipated attacks by German submarines. Todays press reports also contain an alleged official statement of the Foreign Office de- lending the use of the flag of a neu- tral country by a belligerent vessel in order to escape capture or attack by an enemy:
 Assuming that the foregoing re- ports are true. the government of the United States reserving for future con- stderation the legality and proprtety of the deceptive use of the flag of a neutral power in. any case for the purpose of avoiding capture, desires very respectfully to point out to his Britannia Majesty's government the serious consequences which may re- suit to American vessels and Amert- can citizens if this practice is con- tinued.
 The occasional use of the flag of a neutral or an enemy under the stress of immediate pursuit and to deceive an approaching enemy, which appears by the press reports to be represented as the precedent and Justification used to support this action, seems to this government a very different thing from an explicit sanction by a beI1iger- ent government for it's merchant ships generally to fly the> flag of a. neutral power within certain portions of the high seas, which are presumed to be freduented with hostile warships. The formal declaration of such a policy of general misuse of a neutral's flag jeo- l pardizes the vessels Of the neutral vis- l ting those waters in a peculiar de- | gree by raising the presumpti on that they are Ofstbe3ligerent nationality re- gardIess of the flag which they may carry.
 In4view of the announced purpose I of the German Admiralty to engage in active naval. operations in certain de- l limited sea areas adjacent to the coasts l of Great Britain and Ireland, the government of the United States I would view with anxious so1icitude l any general use of the flag of the I United States by British vessels trav- l ersing those waters. A policy such as l the one which his Majesty's govern
 
 if the declaration of the German Ad- l niralty be put in force. it seems clear l afford no protection to British yes sells, while it-wou1d be a serious and lsconstant menace to the lives and yes I sells of American citizens.
 t The government of the United l States, therefores trusts that his Ma Ejesty's government will do all in their power to restrain vessels Of British | nationality in the deceptive use of the 1 United States flag in the sea area, de- fined by the German declaration, since such practice would greatly endangel the vessels of a friendly power nav1- gating those waters and would ever I seem to Impose upon the government Of Great Britain a measure of respon- 1 sibility for the loss of American lives
 and vessels in case of an attack by 6 | German naval force.
 You will impress upon his Majesty's st stgovernment the grave concern whicK .E this government feels in the circum-
 stances zn regard to the safety o1
 American vessels and lives in the wal zone declared by the German Admir- I atty.
 You may add that this government
 is making earnest representations to
 the German government in regard tc
 the danger to American vessels and
 citizens if the declaration of the Ger man Admiralty is put into effect.