Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-03-11
British Steamer Chascas, One
of EiteIPs Prizes, Was
American Owned and Was
on Way to New York to
Take American Registry
NEUTRALITY BOARD MAY
PERMIT SOME REPAIRS
Captain of German Auxiliary
Cruiser May Be Compelled
to Release All Prisoners
on Board Vessel
By Associated Press

Washington. ID. G.. March 11.-Presi-
dent Wilson announced to-day that a
searching inquiry will bc made" into
the sinking of the American sailing
ship William u. Frye by the German
auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich,
This statement was issued at the White
House:
THE PRESIDENT. WHEN
ASKED REGARDING THE SINK
ING OF THE AMERICAN SAIL
ING SHIP WILLIAM u. FRYE
BY THE GERMAN AUXILIARY
CRUISER PRINZ ETTEL FRIED
RICH, SAID:
~ MOST SEARCHING IN
QUIRY WILL BE MADE AND
WHATEVER ACTION Is TAKEN
WILL BE BASED UPON THE
RESULT OF THAT INQUIRY"
Discussion of the affair in official
quarters was taken to foreshadow a
strong protest TO Germany against the
sinking of the American vessel.
The contention of the German COM
mandcr that the American ship had
contraband of war aboard and. there
fore. destruction was justified, has been
set up as II plea in other cases, hut
never has been recognized by the
United States rs the only justification
for such action OH the part OF bel
li.crent.
The fact that the Prinz Eitel Fried
rich was commanded 10y a German
naval officer, under commission from
the German government. and the fact
that no lives were lost when the Frye
was sunk, transferred the case from
the realm of criminal proceedings un-
der the federal statutes under a pos
sible charge of piracy and makes il a
subject of diplomatic negotiations with
the object of gaining reparation for
the owners and a disclaimer of un-
friendlincSS.
Will ASK for Damages
That the United States would ask
for damages and an explanation from
the German government was regarded
as certain. Some officials thought the
German government would find itself
compelled TO regudiate the act of the
German captain or abandon the no
sltion taken b. Germany in recent cor
reSpondence with the United States
on the subject of conditional contra
band and foodstuffs. Precedents in
international law reveal that the cir
cumstances under which neutral gov
ernments have aCquesced in the de-
Struction of their vessels in time of
war are very few.
The German rule that has been an
piled is that a belligerent warshiD
must take its prize into port unless
there are controlling reasons. such as
unseaworthiness, lack of a prize crew.
danger of recapture and the presence
on board of cargo of contraband
which would make certain its condem-
nation by a prize court. The com
mander of the belligerent vessel must
preserve the neutral ships papers and
orlng them to prize court for the
entering of a decree
Government in Dilemma
whether the action of the captain
OF the Prinz Eitel has not placed his
government in dilemma by sinking
the American grain ship William p.
Frye was much discussed in official
quarters to-day. Assuming that the
frNe's cargo was not consigned to the
British government. one view is that
the German government either must
repudiate the action of Captain THE
nchsen and pay for the Frye and her
cargo or withdraw its protest to the
state Department against the British
assumption to the right to seize food
cargoes bound from neutral country
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