The Alaska daily empire., 1915-06-09

| AAAN HAAN ANAaaAAA NAAtHN HN|HtHHHN AN't HH facts having direct bearing on the sinking of the Lusitania may have es. caped the attention of the American government.
 "ln the interest of a clear and com plete understanding, which is Che aim Of both governments. the Imperial government finds it first necessary to convince itself that the informa- ton accessible to both governments about the facts of the case is com piete and in accord.
 "The government of the United States proceeds on the assumption that the Lusitania could be regarded as an ordinary unarmed merchant. man. The imperial government al- lows itself in this connection to point out that the Lusitania was one of the largest and fastest British merchant ships. built with government funds as an auxiliary cruiser, and carried expressly as such in the Navy List issued by the British admimalty.
 Tt is further known to tho Imper-  ial government. from trustworthy re- ports from its agents and neutral pas sengers, that for considerable time, practically all the more valuable mer- chantmen of the British empire have been equipped with cannon and ann intuition and other weapons and are manned with persons who have been specially trained in serving guns.
 "The Lusitania. too, according to information hereceiyed here, had cannon aboard. which were mounted and concealed below decks.
 Ships Attack Submarlncs
 "The imperial government, further has the honor to direct the particular attention Of the American government to the fact that the British admiralty in confidential instruction Issued in February. 1914, recommended its shipping not only to seek protection under neutral flags aud distinguish ing marks, but also. while thus dis gulsed. to attack German submarines by ramming. As special incitation to merchantmen to destroy submar- ines the British government offered high prizes and has already paid such rewards.
 "The imperial government, in view of the fact lndubitably known to it. is unable to regard British merchant men In the zone Of naval operations specified by the admiralty stan of the German navy as 'undefended.' Ger man commanders consequently are no longer able to observe the customary regulations of the prize law which they before always followed.
 Much War Material Aboard.
 Finally. the imperial government must point out particularly that the Lusitania. on its last trip, carried Canadian troops and war material including no less than 5,4O0 cases of ammunition. intended for the destruc- ton of the brave German soldiers who are fulfilling their duty with self-sac- rifices and devotion in the father lands service.
 'The German government believes that 1t was acting in justified self-de- fense in seeking with all the means of warfare at it's disposition to pro- tect the lives of its soldiers by de- stroying ammunition intended for the enemy
 American Law Violated
 "The British Shipping Company must have been aware Of the danger to which the passengers on board the Lusitania were exposed under these conditions. The company in embark ing them, notwithstanding this. at- tempted deliberately to use the lives of American citizens as protection for the ammunition aboard and acted against the clear provisions of the American law. which expressly pro- yides a penalty therefor. The com pany. therefore is wantonly guilty of the death of so many passengers.
 There can be no doubt according to he definite report of the submar- ines commander. which is further con- firmed by all other information. that the quick sinking of the Lusitanla ls primarily attributable to the explosion of the ammunition shipment caused by torpedo. The Lusitania's passen- gers would. in all human probability, have been saved
 "The imperial government consid- cred the aforementioned facts im- portant enough to recommend them to the attentive examination of the American government.
 Final Decision Withheld
 "The imperial government, while withholding it's final decision on the demands advanced in connection with the sinking of the Lusitania un- til receipt of an answer from the American government. feels impelled in conclusion. to recall here and now that 1t took cognizance with satisfac- tion of the meditory proposals sub- mitted by the United States govern- ment to Berlin and London as basis for a modus yiyendi for conducting the maritime warfare between Ger many and Great Britain. The imper- ial government. by its readiness to en- ter upon a discussion of these propos- als. then demonstrated it's good inten- tiou in ample fashion.
 "The realization Of these proposals was defeated. as is well known, by the declinatory attitude of the British government"
 (SigneG JAGoW."
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