Norwich bulletin., 1915-03-02
British Defence of
 Warfare at Sea
NOTE VINDICATlNG BLOCKADE
 OF GERMAN COMMERCE.
RETALIATORY MEASURE
A RetaIatory Measure to Counteract Depredations of German Submarines Seizure of Ships Will Be Made Without Endsngerins NeutraIs.

Washington, March 1.-Following is the full text of the British note, with which that presented by the French ambassador is virtually identical:
 Germany has declared that the English Channel, the north and west coast of France and the waters around the British Isles are a war area and has officially notified that all enemy ships found in that area will be de- Stroyed and that neutral vessels may be exposed to danger. This is in eff feet a claim to torpedo at sight, with out regard to the safety of the crew or passengers any merchant vessel under \any flag. As it is not in the power of the German admiralty to maintain any surface craft in these waters, the at tack can only be delivered by sub- marine agency.
 Treatment of Merchant Vessels.
 "The law and custom of nations in regard to attacks on commerce have always presumed that the first duty of the captor of a merchant vessel is to bring it before a. prize court where it may be tried where the regularity of the capture may be challenged and where neutralS may rcoVer their car goes. The sinking of prizes is in itself a questionable act to be resorted to only in extraordinary circumstances and after provision has been made for the safety of all the crew or pas S0IS0TS- II there are passengers OIl board, the responsibility for discrim- mating between neutral and enemy vessels and between neutral and ene- my cargo, obviously rests with the attacking ship, whose duty it is to verify the status and character of the vessel and cargo and to preserve all papers before sinking or even cap turing it. It also is the humans duty of providing for the safety of the crews of merchant vessels whether neutral or enemy, an obligation upon every belligerent.
 German Submarines Violate Precedent. Tt is upon this basis that all previ- ous discussions of the law for reg lating war at sea have proceeded. A German submarine, however, fulflls none of these obligations; she enjoys l no local command of the waters in | which she operates; she does not take her captures within the jurisdiction of | a prize court; she carries no prize I crew which she can put on board a
 prize; she uses no effective means of | discriminating between a neutral and
 an enemy vessel; she does not receive | on board for safety the crew and pas | sengers of the vessel she sinks; her
 methods of warfare are therefore en- | tirely outside the scope of any inter l national instruments regulating ope- rattonS against commerce in time o1 war. The German declaration sub-
 stitutes indiscriminate destruction fol regulated capture. Germany is adopting these methods against peace full traders and non- -combatant crews with. the avowed object of preventing commodities of ayy kinds including food for the civil population from reaching or leaving the British Isles | r northern France.
 Great Britain and France Will Moi I Harm Neutral Ships.
 Her opponents are therefore driver } to frame retaliatory measures in order in their turn to prevent eommoditie: of any kind from reaching or leavins Germany. These measures will how ever, be enforced by the British anc French governments without risk tC neutral ships or to neutral or non-
 combatant life and in strict observ.
 ance of the dictates of humanity. The British and French governments vii therefore hold themselves free to de
 tain and take into ports ships carry. ing goods presumed enemy destination ownership or origin. It is not intend ed to confiscate such vessels or car
 goes unless they were otherwise Ii able to condemnation.
 Will Not Stop Ships Now in Transit
 'The treatment of vessels and car
 goes which have sailed before thi
 date will not be affected