Imperial Valley press., 1915-01-21

rage, Jne American ambassador to
London, has been cabled by the state
department to ask the British govern
nlent for an explanation Of the re
ported insult to the American flag
on the American steamship Green
brier, the undue detention of the ship
and as to all the other charges made
hy Captain Farley, who, with his ship,
is now at Bremen.
All of the facts in the case of the
Greenbrier were first reported by her
commander, Captain Farley, to the
American ambassador at Berlin, Mr..
Gerard, who transmitted Farley's ac-
count today to the state department.
The facts as given by Ambassador
Gerard are in no way materially diff
ferent from those facts as given yes
terday and today in the newspapers.
The detailed account transmitted
here by Mr.. Gerard was cabled to AM
bassador Page at London, with the
request that he should obtain the facts
as understood by the British govern
ment and to report to Washington"
Officials were very careful to say to-
day that this request of the state de
partment on Mr.. Page simply follows
the usual course, as recently in the
case of the American citizen who was
killed by Canadian troopers in Cana
dian waters.
1t is privately admitted by the Of
ficials that the important and serious
allegation by Captain Farley is that
when the Greenbrier was overhauled
on December 80 he was forced to haul
down the American flag over his pro-
test. 1t is also charged that the Brit
ish commander knew or found out that
the Greenbrier had a certificate for
her cargo from the British consul at
New York.
Navy officers say that if it he
proved that the American flag was
ordered down, Great Britain should
disavow the act of her naval officer.
The navy understands that if the
Greenbrier had been the ship of bel
ligerent the flag might have been
taken down and the British flag run
Up. Otherwise the act was indefen-
sible, especially in view of the friend
ly tone of Sir Edward Grey's recent
l. H. IIp,4ol CAofnc ThnSn Of
ficers say that if such acts are to
continue as settled policy of Great
Britain the second note of Sir Edward
Grey will be firmer, "even if more
polite" than the first, which made
no concessions at all.
State department officials would not
pass upon the question as to the hu-
initiation of the Greenbrier by the
British warship. They said they
would have to study the questions in
volved 1t is probable, nevertheless,
that Ambassador Page in his report
will let the state department know
whether Great Britain defends her
ordering down of the American flag
as a customary traditional interna
tional right.
The Dacia Case.
Washington. Jan. 21.-The state de
partment. according to admissions OF
its officials today, has washed its
hands of the steamship Dacia case,
which involves the question whether or
not an American n-owned ship, carrying
an American cargo Of cotton to a
neutral port with registry guaranteed
hy this country, can proceed to des-
tination without seizure and detention
by a British cruiser.
Secretary of State Bryan made it
very plain today that this government
did not propose to take any further
steps as to the Dacia than already
have been taken by the department.
All the department did was to ask
the British government as special
favor to allow the Dacia to proceed
from Port Arthur, Texas, to Rotter-
dam. The request was made after
the British government formally had
notified the state department that she
objected to the registry of the Dacia
even as guaranteed by the American
department of commerce.
Mr.. Bryan said, explaining the pres
ent attitude of the government to the
Dacia. that "the state department was
not the sponsor for the Dacia.' he
further emphasized existing relations
to the ship by pointing out carefully
that "the state department was not
consulted originally as to the pur-
chase"
The plain implication from Mr. bry,
ans remarks was that the Dacia, IL
she sailed, would do so at her own
risk. The risk is, of course, her cap
ture and the haling of the ship ana