The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-04-21
BRITAIN APOLOGIES
ANSWERS CHILEAN PROTEST ON
SINKING OF DRGSDEK
FULL and AMPLE Reply

venting Escape Of German Cruiser
Which, it Was Feared, Intended to
Violate the Neutrality Later.
Great Britain has offered ga full
and ample apology" to the Chilean
government for the sinking March IA
in the Chilean territorial waters OF
the German cruiser Dresden, the In
ternment Of which already had been
ordered by the maritime governor Of
Cumberland Bay, when the British
squadron attacked and sank the Ger
man. ~
This fact was made public in Lon-
don Thursday night in 8 white paper.
giving the. texts of the Chilean note
protecting against the sinking OF the
Dresden and the British reply.
The note delivered by the Chilean
minister to Great Britain says that
the Dresden anchored in Cumberland
Bay (Juan Fernandez Island) March
9, and asked permission to remain
eight days for the purpose OF repair
ing her engines. The governor re-
fused the request, as he considered u
unfounded and ordered the captain
to leave within twenty-four hours.
When the British squadron appear
ed March IA the governor was pro-
ceeding to the cruiser Glasgow tosin-
form the British officers Of the steps
he had taken, but he had to turn
back, as the British ships opened fire
on the Dresden, on which a flag OF
truce already had been hoisted, and
called on her captain to surrender.
The captain then gave orders to blow
up the magazine of the Dresden.
"This act of hostility committed IN
Chilean territorial waters by Brit
ish naval squadron" says the Chi
lean minister, t'has painfully sulpris-
ed my government"
Continuing, the minister says that
had the officer in command Of the
British squadron received the gov
ernor and been informed that the
Dresden was interned he was con-
:vinced "the British commander would
not have opened fire on her and
brought about situation which con-
strains the Chilean government, in
defense Of its sovereign rights, to for
mulate a most energetic protest" I"
After referring to the hospitality
shown British ships in Chilean
waters and to the long friendship be-
tween the two peoples, the minister
says:
Nothing could be a. more painful
surprise to us than to see our e1--
tremely cordial attitude repaid by an
act which bears unfortunately all the
evidences, Of contempt for our soyer-
eign rights, although it is probable
that nothing was farther from the
mind Of those by whom it was un-
thinkingly committed"
The British government, replying,
expresses regret that a misunder-
standing arose, and adds: CON the
facts, as stated in the communication
Of the Chilean minister, the British
government is prepared to offer a
full and ample apology to the Chilean
government"
1t is, however, pointed out that
according to the British information,
the Dresden chad not accepted intern
ment and still had her colors flying
and her guns trained"
The British reply continues: III
this is so, and if there is no means
available for enforcing the decision
of the Chilean authorities to intern
the Dresden, she might obviously
had not the British ships taken ac-
tion, have escaped, again to attack
British commerce"
It is added: 1.-THE captain OF the
Glasgow probably assumed, especial
ly in view of the past action Of the
Dresden, that she was defying the
Chilean authorities and abusing Chi
lean neutrality and was only waiting
for a favorable opportunity to sally
out and attack British commerce
again.
"In view of the time it would take
to clear up the circumstances and be-
cause of the Chilean communication
the British government do not wish
to qualify the apology that they now
present to the Chilean government.