The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-03-17
DEMANDS PREPARATION
q. S. TO ACT UNLESS GERMANY
OFFERS RESTITUTION.
Neutral Ship Should Not be Destroy
ed and This is Gist Of the Orders
of All Nations.

Unless the German government.
voluntarily offers to make restitution
for the destruction of the American
ship Eyre. sunk by the converted
cruiser FrinZ Eitel Friedrich in the
south Atlantic, and expresses regret
for the occurrence strong protest will
be made by the United States with a
request for reparation.
| No announcements concerning the
case probably will be made by Off
cials until after an Investigation has
| been completed. President Wilson
! has stated thet a searching inquiry
would be conducted.
Officials were unanimous in their
opinion-and it was shared largely
by diplomatists, too-that the COM
mander of the Prinz Eitel had no
right to sink the Frye. It was con-
sidered probable by the officials that
the German government would ad-
NIT the error of the naval command
er and agree to make the usual re-
paration.
1t was made clear at the state de-
partment that whatever action taken
as a result of the sinking'of the Frye
would be entirely dissociated from
questions arising out of the entry
into the American port Of the Prinz
Eitel. The vessel could. therefore,
depart, leaving the question Of the
destruction Of the American ship to
! be settled through diplomatic chan
nels.
. Capt. Boy-Ed. naval attache Of the
German embassy. 1t was understood.
has gone to Newport News to confer
with the captain OF the Prinz Eitel
and obtain a sworn statement Of the
facts for the German government.
Examination Of precedents in in
ternational law revealed to state de-
partment officials that the general
rules of maritime practice have pro-
hibited the destruction of a neutral
vessel under the circumstances In
which the Frye was found by the
Prinz Eitel.
Many arguments have been urged
from time to time against the de-
struction of neutral vessels and when
in doubt American naval command
Cl . nave DOSh SdQIlOACo o3ht]Jo "
dismiss the vessel.
It was said in official quarters that
the American government took note
Of the fact that American citizens by
their enforced presence on board a
German cruiser for more than a
month had been subjected to unnec-
essary risks and that this probably
would be one Of the points in the
correspondence which is certain to
develop between the United States
and Germany.
That the Frye was carrying wheat
and no other kind of cargo has been
established in official renorts. The
German commander claims that as
the wheat was consigned "to order"
and bound for England. it therefore
cou1d be presumed to be contraband.
The fact that the cargo was sold
while in transit to a British firm
would not, in the opinion of officials.
after the necessity in case OF cao-
ture for bringing the cargo into port
for adjudication.
The United States government has
repeatedly maintained that the de-
struction Of a neutral vessel in mari
time war is not justified alone by the
presence Of contraband aboard. al
though the character Of the cargo.
that is. if confessedly contraband.
such as arms and ammunition. would
he a controlling factor in deciding
the case.
Moreover the German government
has given assurances that It would
not detaiu foodstuffs destined to the
civilian ponu'ation Of an enemy.
Although there is no definite set Of
rules governing the destruction Of
neutral vessels carving contrab band.
the naval codes of the nrincinal now
ers caution their commanders not to
destroy neutral vessel unless carrv-
ing cargo obviously contraband and
certain Of condemnation and then
only in case recanture bv the ene-1v
is Imminent or when It is impossible
throneh lack Of coal or nri7e crew to
serS the prize to a home mort.
The American naval rules provide
for the destruction Of an enemy shin
after taking of crew and nassene GERS.
hnt the latest oninion OF the United
States raval war college adds: eff
A seized neutral vessel can not for
arv reason be brought into mort for
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