New Britain herald., 1915-02-18

a. m.-The reply of Germany to the protest of the United States against Q blockade of British waters is couchec in the most friendly terms but firmly maintains the position of Germany as already announced. The answer which is lengthy document was converted into code at the United States embassy under the direction of Ambassador Gerard and has been transmitted in full to Washington.
 The note explains that Germany S proposed action is rendered necessary by Great Britain's policy at attempt ing to cut off the food supply for the German civil population by a method never recognized in international law, Lngland's course in ordering mer- Chantmen to fly neutral flags, equip .ping them with artillery with orders Y tC destroy submarines, the German reply contends, renders nugatory the Tight of search thus giving Germany the right to attack English shipping. Germany holds that she cannot aban- @don that right under the stress which v England has forced upon her.
 Stand Is Necessary.
 Since Germany must compel the Iations with which she is at war to return to the recognized principles of international law and restore the freedom of the seas, she argues that the stand she has taken is necessary
 The note recommends that the United States government send war ships to England to convoy merchant vessels through the danger zone as security against attack with the un- Uerstanding that vessels thus guarded shall carry no war supplies Hope is expressed that the American govern ment will understand the position in which Germany has been placed and appreciate the reasons for it's course
 Expression of Hope.
 The reply closes with an expression of the hope that the United States ,may prevail upon Great Britain "To return to the principles of interna- tional law recognized prior to the out break of the war; and in particular obtain the observance of the Lon #don declaration by belligerents op- posed to Germany. If this were done the note explains, Germany would be enabled to import food supplies and TaW materials. Germany would re- cognize in this, says the reply, an invaluable service toward d more hu- n1ane conduct of the war and would act in accordance with the new situ- ,ation thus created.
 Y Text of Reply.
 .ss The text of the German govern m ent's reply to the American not fol- lows:
 < The imperial government has ex- anihed the communication from the United States government in the same spirit of good will and friendship by which the comm unication appears to have been dictated. The imperial government is in accord with the United States government that for both parties it is in a high degree de- sirable to avoid misunderstanding which might arise from measures an- nounced by the German ad dmiralty and to provide against the occurrence of incidents which might trouble the friendly relations which so far, hap pity, exist between the two govern 'naents.
 Measure of Self Defense.
 With regard to the assuring of these friendly relations, the German government believes that it may all the more reckon on full understand
 
 cedure announced by the German ad- smiralty, which was fully explained in the note of the 4th instant, is in no way directed against legitimate com merce and legitimate shipping of neu- trals, but represents solely measure of self-d efense, imposed on Germany by her vital interests, against Eng lands method of warfare, which is contrary to international law and which so far no protest by neutrals has succeeded in bringing back to the generally recognized principles of law as existing before the outbreak of war.
 "In order to exclude all doubt re- garding these cardinal points, the. German government once more leave to state how things stand. Until now Germany has scrupulously observed valid international rules regarding naval warfare. At the very beginning of the war Germany immediately agreed to the proposal of the Ameri- can government to ratify the new declaration of London and took over its contents unaltered and without formal obligation, into her prize law. The German government mas obeyed these rules, even when they were dla- metrically opposed to her military h. terests For instance, Germany al- lowed the transportation of provisions to England from Denmark until to- day, though she was we'll able, by her sea forces to prevent it. In contra distinction to this attitude, England has not even hesitated at a second in fringement of international law, if by such means she could paralyze the peaceful commerce of Germany with routraIc rHhn German gONern1n ent