The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-11
TO MAKE SINKING OF u. s.
SHIP ISSUE WITH GERMANY

NAstuSGToN. March l0-The arrival
~ tn. l'rinz Etel Friedrich at Newport
News - involving the attention OF four
departments of the GoVernment-State,
Navy. Treasury and Labor-the last
named because OF the immigration prob
lem presented r; the refugees on board.
The most Important problem confront
Ing the tnifed States Government gr, VS.
out f the discovery that she sank In
the South Atlantic the American sailing
ship william +. Frye, laden with wheat
from Seatt TO Liverpool. TIT reason
given for this action was that the wheat
was consigned to a British port.
Tonight there was every reason 20
believe ;hdt th.S viii almos Immediately
become an .s,de between Germany and
the United States.
Advice, received tom GIT by Secretary
# the Na|N Daniels fiom Admirai
Beatty. comm1ndlng the Norfolk Navy
Yard, following an invest CATION 90 III
c'iS under him, indicate that 50 much
time WI he needed FOR r"pgl.s on the
t.tel Friedrich that she undoubtedly
VII decide % inferno AT Newport News
Officials mere feel confident that 'hele
win he plenty OF time fuT deNbcrtte con
sideration Il the issue Il the sinking of
the Wiiliam T. Frye. and also with
regard 10 the disposition of the thirty
persons she had on board. who Wee
taken off The m~ercuantmrn shs has
sunk.
Calls 1 OOdstuns tontrahnn nd.
The ground upon which the Germans
probably Will defend the sinking of the
Frye was indicated authuritativcly here
tonight The German captain VIII jus
tify the sending OF this American shlp
TO tn. bottom by claiming that he acted
under the publications % the lcclIli-
lion OF London, which permits foodStuffs
TO be treated as C~ontTabdud II consigned
To- the armed forces Of the enemy o. his
Government departments The Official
interpretation of tnls provision states
that this destination may be assured II
the wheat Is consigned to "A naval base
OF the enemy. The Iriu2 fNtel Friedrich
will contend that LIVERPOOL is to be re-
garded as an English ava base during
this war.
Though it il improbable that tn-
United States will accept the designation
Of Liverpool az a naval base this VIII
not be the main issue from the American
Lo!nt of view. for the reason that the
United States does not ~COgGi the
Declaration OF London az having any
particular force in this war.
At first il was suggested to the bel
ligerents that the declaration be- fol
lowed, but when not all would agree To
this the United states served notice that
I would not regard the convention az IN
force and would rest All its views upon
is understanding of the accepted princi-
PIES of International law.
In = recent note to Great Britain
he Tinted states protested against
treatment OF fOodstuffs as contrahand
OF war unless actually consigned 10 the
armed forces of tho enemy. Thi, pos
ton II mas since upheld in all the DIS
cusSious with the he.ligerentS. II can
not accept cons gnment of a cargo Of
phcat to Liverpool "a sufficient eVi-
dcuce 70 prove thai the wheat vas con
signed TO the armed forces OF the Brit
ish,
Therefore. unless the German captain
can produce conclusive evidence Of con
-iFumcnt to the British armed forces
tho United states undoubtedly VIII take
snarp ISSUE with the German Govern
mcnt on this ground.
WIN. a he!ligcrent Is permitted under
mlitary necessity to sink a vessel car
rying c|on,raband II he cannot take IT
iHto port this defence cannot, he claimed
n the cargo was not IN the Clrcum-
stances contraband. The United States
viii hold that the Frye's cargo was not
contrabaud
II is conceded that the United State,
Government would have the right tC
seek rcpIIsals in this matter by SciHinG
the Eitel Friedrich Under the clrcum,
stances. however, II - generally believed
THIS would he an unwisc and dangerous
proceeding, Likely to Involve the Iuit"o
States IN Il serious controversy Instead
rn- rs.- will probably he taken up II
IN" diplomatic chHuucl win the GegludI
Government Win q demand fur proper
COMPENSATION for the owners of ia,
American vessel.
An uflrItl r"puit ON IN" siuk us Of tI'
~ .f1I-Y, q I'Tt ..l.,4lN has l.at a.,