The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-12
FRANCE
SHARPN0TE ON
ST0PPINGSHIPS
U. s. to Demand Release Of
Alien Enemies Taken Off
American Vessels.
CRUISER DESCARTES
SEARCHES 3 LINERS

WASHINGTON. Dec. 1l.-Secretary OF
State Lansing IL preparing TO send a
vigorous note OF protest to the French
Government demanding the immediate
release OF the German and Austrian
subjects taken from the New York and
Porto Rico Line steamers Carolina.
coamo and San Juan. which were held
up and searched by the French cruiser
Descartes.
Official confirmation of tire action OF
tho French cruiser was announced by
the Department tonight in the follow
ing statement:
The Department hAs received re-
ports from the collector Of customs
at San Juan. p. r.. indicating that
three ships of the New York and
Porto Rico Lin ia been stopped
on the high seas n searched by the
French cruiser Descartes. The steam
ship CoamO. north bourd. was stopped
six miles of San Juan ard the Ger
man chief steward. named Schade.
was taken OF by the boarding officer.
The steamer was allowed TO proceed
northward after a delay OF abou two
hours.
The steamer Coamo. s~outhbound.
was stopped about twenty miles OF
shore by two shots across her bow
and the following persons were taken
on by the boarding party: J. L. Usor
Ruter. Anton r. Deliorch. Austrians,
OF the engine oom force. n II. kru-
ger. "A German. OF the stewards de-
partment. II appears that other Ger
mans In the crew with American citi-
zenship papers were not Tolested.
steamship Sar Juan, southbound.
reported to have been stopped six miles
east NJ port OF Areibo. Porto Rico. and
two second cabin passengers. william
Gunthevodt and Fritsch LOthar. Ger
man subjects, taken on the ship.
Protected Once Before.
state Department officials declared
that the note TO be sent to France will
follow the outline OF the contention made
In November a year ago. when the
French cruiser Condo boarded the AMER.
Fan steamer Windber. bound from Color
TO New York. and took on August PEP.
enbrink. a steward. and placed him In
charge OF British prison officials at
Kingston, Jamaica.
Vigorous demands were sent to boil
Great Britain and france for the i'm.
! mediate release of the man and afte'
several exchanges between Washington
ynd London ami Paris the two Govern.
ments acceded to the demand. In grant.
ing It. however. both explained that they
acted out of friendship for the United
states, but reserved the question OF tn,
| principle laid down by the United states
The demand on the part OF the United
States was first based on the ground
| that Piepenbrink. having declared his In
tention to become an American citizen
was entitled under the laws Of this coun.
try to full protection az such. Wher
France n Great Britain questioned
this claim the United States reverted
to the principle laid down by Ear Rus
sell In the famous Trent case In 1861
when. in demanding and obtaining tn.
release of Mason and Slidell. the confed'
| crate commissioners. seized by "A United
| States warship from the British steamer
Trent, he said:
III the real terminus OF the voyage b,
bona fde in a neutral territory. no Eng
lish. nor. indeed. as her Majesty's Gov
ernmen. believe, any American authority
can be found which has ever giver
| countenance to me doctrine that eithel
men ar dispatches can be subject dur
ing such voyage and on board such =
neutral vessel to belligerent capture a!
contraband OF war"
Bryan Saw $40 JustiAca tom"
In the notes TO both Great Britain AN,
France Mr.. Bryantook the position tina
"there is no justification In i~nternationa
| law for the removal OF an enemy subjec
from "A neutral vessel on the high sea
bound to a neutral port. even II he coul'
properly be regarded as IA military per
SON"
At the French Embassy to-day con
| frmation of the action OF the Descarte
was lacking. but 1t was intinated that /
| the press reports were confirmed
recommendation would be made by tn
embassy to the Foreign Office at Pari
that Admiralty orders be modified to pre-
vent the seizure OF alien enemies aboar,
American vessels on the high seas. En-
bassy officials admitted that they wer
puzzled concerning the nature of IN
orders under which the Descartes was re
nnrted to be acting.