The Sentinel=record., 1915-01-31
POSITIVE DENIAL IS MADE
State Department Declares That the
Dacia and Brindila Cases Are Not
the Same as If the Government
Was the Purchaser.

Washington. Jan. 3O-Diplomatlc
phases of the proposed purchases of
ships by the United States govern
ment were discussed widely today as
result of the publication Of report
that Sir Edward Grey had informed
the state department that such pur-
chases including German or Austrian
ships would be regarded as constitut-
ing an unneutral act.
1t was stated positively at the state
department as well as at the British
embassy that no communication. OFF,
cial or otherwise. on the subject had
been received from Sir Edward. Not
only has the American government
not asked or received the formal
views of Great Britain but no express
srons of an official character have
come from either Russia or france.
References have been made to this
subject Of transfer of flag in diplo-
matte correspondence regarding the
steamship Dacia and previously of the
Brndilla, but these are held by the
state department not to be parallel
cases as they involve transactions be-
tween private individuals, whereas
the bill pending in the senate would
make the Uaited States government
party to any purchase OF vessels
under it,
Inasmuch as the state department
holds that what might have been said
in the Dacia or Brindflla cases does
not apply to government purchases,
Majority Leader Underwood In the
house on behalf of the state depart
ment denied that the pending ship
bill had been the subject of official
communication between the Washing
ton government and Great Britain.
At the British embassy the view
was volunteered that since the pend.
Ing bin had not yet passed, negota-
tions would not be proper and that
even if the measure were enacted
there was no reason to suppose that
the United States government, exer-
cising the powers designated by the
neutral act. It was stated authorita-
lively, however, that the British ann
bassador had made il clear il a ne
cent conversation with Secretary
Bryan what under certain circun.
stances would be the view of the
British government pointing out incl
dentally that while England in the
past had recognized some transfers
OF flag during war as legal, there was
no doubt in his mind of the opposi.
tion of Russia and France.
What the hypothetical cireuun,
stances are to which the British am \
bassador referred have not been dis.
closed, but they are presumed to re-
late to any general or wholesale re.
lease of German and Austrian SHIPS
now docked in American ports. Such
a step, nigh officials of the American
government declared was not in con
temptation as they have not even de-
cided yet whether it even will be
necessary to purchase any beligerent
vessels to obtain at a reasonable
price ships to carry American pro-
ducts
Although the British ambassador
discussed the subject orally with Sec
retary Bryan recently, a distinction
was drawn at the embassy today be-
tween his personal views and any Of
ficial expression by direction of his
government Since his opinion was
delivered in an unofficial way, the
state department has no record of it
and officials do not regard any OF the
informal remarks made thus far as in
the nature of protest or formal COM
municatiOn.
-----C------