New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-07
DECREE EXCLUDES DUTCH
COAST FROM WAR ZONE

roiraltv proclaimed the closing of the
North Sea. the waters Of which are
essentially neutral. Germany does not
rrofess 10 close even the English
Channel TO neutral commerce. and she
does not intend to modest or seize
American vessels laden with foodstuns
for the civilian population OF enemy
countries; Z is 10 be hoped That Eng
land will not make necessary a recon
sideration Of this attitude by selzlng
American ships like the Wilhelmlna.
Neutrals May Be Endangered.
Germany does, however, announce to
the world that it proposes to continue
to destroy ships belonging TO the
enemy. and II adds the notification to
neutral powers that, on account OF the
fact that British ships are employing
neutral flags, according to secret IN
structions now known TO have been
issued by the British government, bona
fide neutral vessels may actually be
endangered.
although, according to well under
stood and universally accepted usages
Of warfare. naval vessels are perfectly
justified in destroying merchantmen OF
the enemy. the German government
now sees fit to issue simply general
reminder to that effect, stating the
actual radius of operations of the Ger
man submarines. The warning may
also be taken as in the nature of an
answer TO the offer of prize OF f5oV'
made in England, for the first British
merchant ship that should succeed IN
ramming and sinking a German sub
marine, an offer calculated to revive
the long-abandoned practice of pri-
Watering"
Diplomatic representatives Of neu-
trails, other than the United States, are
even more deeply concerned over the
German proclamation than are the ON
/ Gals of the State Department. They
point out that the American interest
/ in the cargo carrying trade OF the
regions in the German war zone hes
in the cargoes of the ships to tar
/ greater extent than in the ships them
selves or their crews. Most OF the
, ships Of the North Sea commerce out
side of the present belligerents fly the
Danish, Dutch, Swedish or Norwegian
flags. American ships seldom, If ever,
appear in North Sea waters. II ls SAID
that small doubt exists that the great
transatlantic liners are so well known
/ TO German navy men lHdJ tHt uaIb N''
TO them are at a minimum, and these
are practically the only vessels carry
ing the American flag into the region
Of the British Isles.
For the foregoing reason the repre-
sentatives of the four neutrals men
toned are watching the course of the
I United States with great interest. The
protest. if it is forthcoming, will be
( backed by similar protests from the
neutrals with shipping interests in the
| North Sea and waters adjacent to Great
/ Britain.
/ Paris, Feb. g. The German Admiral
! tvs proclamation including in the war
zone the waters surrounding the Brit
/ ish Isles has provoked an outburst Of
] indignation in the French press, al
| though it is hailed generally as an in
dication that Germany is beginning to
/ find her situation desperate.
/ lie Journal" says the measure will
have only two consequences; first, the
death of inoFensive sailors, and, sec
ond the paralysis of the sea trade of
neutrals Consequently, the paper ar
/ CUES, the measure would cut off Ger
many's food supply, for neutra ship
ping would not expose itself to danger.