The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-07-01
NINETEEN AMERICANS
 PERISH AS TORPEDO
 SINKS BRITISH SHIP
Steamer Armenian, With Cargo of Mules and
 Horses issStrucl By German Submarine U-38 Details Delayed By British Censorship
 Was Bound From Newport News to England.

the submarine. not only the vessel but the crew would be subject to the risks Of a sStbseqaent attack
 The position of the United States has been that citizens engaged in the carrying of contralband who are on board ships that resist capture or attempt to rsan g. blockade are not under protection of the American government A cablegram to the department spoke of second warn 1ngo having been. fired at the wireless house of the Armenian, which gave rise to the iulpreSsleon that the first shot may have been fired in warning. On the other hand, if the informa- ton w4xic11-.1s expected to be received through Anaer1can consular officers who will talk with the survivors, proves that the Armenian made no effort to resist capture and was tor pedoed w1thout warning and without removing the members of the oFeW to @ place of safety, officials thought the case would be almost parallel with that of the Lus7bau7a-
 The United States hes contended for the principle that an unaFmed and 1znresisting ship must not be de- stroye6l untfE passengers and crew have been removed to a, place of safety as provided an che declaration of Lon don and the general rules of 1nteFna- ticna1 law.
 l h. tering of the American, either direct Iy or indirectly, by the British gov ernxae1rt would have on the vessels status caused much speculation to- day. There has been, it was said at the state department, no explicit rules concerning the ueatZnent of charter ed vessels in time of war but from various cases in the past the general practice has been to regard vessels as part of the military or naval officers of a beEl5gerent only when either manned by commissioned or naval officers and when the vessel is on the naval list of a beIHgeFent
 Collectors of American ports have received orders to prevent the depar- t4re of foreign military officers on board ships transporting horses or mules from the United States, and similarly clearance has been refused E6to those vessels which are armed tzae chartering Of the vessel by the Brifsh government would not affect vifaaly the merits of the case because the chaacter of tsae ship was that of 8 peaceful mere laartznasn when it left the shores of the United States, and the crew was, therefore. entitled to be removed to a place of safety before the ship was destroyed
 r The case of the Armenian eonsti- tutes tho first since the sinking of the Lnasitania in which American lives have baen lost The Expectation here has been that Gerznany's reply to the last American note would make some concessions that would insure the safety of Americans on the high seas and especially upon pas senger vessels Comparatively little atbentdon has been given to the case of AmeE7eans on board Aoelligerent ships which primarily carried freight and cOntraband.
 The new aspects developed by tse sinking of the Armenian were the subject of widespread comment, since it was pointed out in various quar- ters that the incident was most likely to draw foreh some definite expres- sion on the attitude which the United States will take concerning the asser ton of American citizens with the car riage of contraband on ships chiefly devoted to such trade