The Washington herald., 1915-02-20
WILHELMINA'S CARGO
GOES TO PRIZE COURT
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

trail vessels sailing for English ports on
the east coast, with carSoes of goods
which are on the German list OF condi-
tional contraband have been seized by
German cruisers and brought before a
German prize court.
Again. the Dutch vessel. Maria, from
California with cargo of grain con-
signed to Dublin and Belfast. was sunk
in September by the German cruiser
karlsruhe. This could only have been
justified IL the cargo could have been
proved to be destined to the British
government or its armed forces. and If
the presumption of this effect could have
been established owing to Dublin or Bel
fast being considered fortified place or
base of armed forces.
England VIII RetaIiate.
THE German government cannot have
it both ways. II they consider them
selves justified in destroying by bonn
bardment the lives and property of the
peaceful citizens of English open towns
and watering places and in SeiZing and
sinking ships and cargoes of conditional
contraband on their way thither. on the
ground that they are consigned to a
fortified place or base. his majesty s
government must be at liberty to treat
Hamburg. which is. in part, protected
by Notifications. as fortified town and
base of operations and supply for the
purposes of article 81 OF the declaration
of London.
III the owners of the cargo and
the wilhelmina desire to question the
validity in international law of the
action taken by his majesty's gov
eminent. they will have every oppor-
tunity of establishing their case be-
fore the prize court.
There is one further observation
to which his majesty's government
think it right and Appropriate in this
connection to give expression
His majesty's government have
not. so far, declared foodstuffs to he
absolute contraband. They have not
interfered with any neutral vessels
on account of their carrying food
stuffs, except on the basis of such
foodstuffs being liable to capture if
destined for enemy forces or govern
ment.
Sowed Sea with Mines.
"In so acting they have been guided
by the general principle. of late uni
versally upheld by civilized nations
and observed in practice. that the
civil populations of countries warning
should NOT be exposed to the treat
ment rightly reserved for combatants.
This distinction has. to all intents
and purposes. been swept away by
the novel doctrines proclaimed and
acted upon by the German govern
ment."
The memorandum refers briefly to
the German treatment of the civil popu-
lation of Belgium and of those parts
of France and German occupation, and
continues:
when Germany, long before any
mines had been laid by the British au
thorities. proceeded to sow mines upon
high seas. and by this means sunk
considerable number. not only OF Brit
ish. but also neutral merchantmen:
when subsequently, English towns and
defenseless British subjects including
women and children, were deliberately
and systematically fired upon and kill
ed by ships flying the flag of the i'm
perial German navy: when quiet coun-
try towns and villages void of defenses
and possessing no military or naval
Importance, were bombarded by Ger
man airships. his ma jesty's government
still abstained from drawing the logical
consequences from this form OF attack
on dsfenseless citizens.
Further steps In the same direction
are now announced and. In fact. have
already been taken by Germany.
British merchant vessels have been
torpedoed at sight without any attempt
being made to sivs warning. A torpedo
Aas ssso ira asainst . 0satsss Aos.