The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-06-02

by an international call on the inter-
national commission of inquiry as
provided by article 8 of The Hague
agreement of October 18, 1907.
"When sinking the British steamer
Falaba the commander of the Ger
man submarine had the intention of
allowing the passengers and crew a
full opportunity for safe escape.
Only when the master did not obey
the order to heave to, but fled and
summoned help by rocket signals, did
the German commander order the
crew and passengers by signals and
megaphone to leave the ship within
ten minutes. He actually allowed
them % minutes time and fired the
torpedo only when suspicious craft
were fastening to the assistance of
the Falaba.
"Regarding the loss of life by the
sinking of the British passenger
steamer Lusitania, the German gov
ernment has already expressed to the
neutral governments concerned its
keen regrets that citizens of their
states lost their lives.
"On this occasion the imperial
government, however, can not escape
the impression that certain impor-
tant facts having a direct bearing on
the sinking of the Lusitania may
have escaped the attention of the
American government.
"In the interest of clear and
complete understanding, which is the
aim of both governments, the imper-
ial German government considers it
first necessary to convince itself that
the information accessible to both
governments about the facts of the
case is complete and in accord. The
government of the United States pro-
ceeds on the assumption that the
Lusitania could be regarded as an
ordinary unarmed merchantmen. The
imperial government allows itself. in
this connection to point out that the
Lusitania was one of the largest Bri-
tish merchant ships, built with gov
ernment funds as an auxiliary cruis-
er and carried expressly as such in
the navy list issued by the British
admiralty.
ut is further known to the impe-
rial government from trustworthy
reports from its agents and neutral
passengers, that for a considerable
time practically all the more valuable
British merchantmen have been
equipped with cannon and ammuni-
tion and other weapons and manned
with persons who have been specially
trained in serving guns. The Lusi-
tania, too, according to information
received here, had cannon aboard,
which were mounted and concealed
below decks.
The imperial government, further
has the honor to direct the particular
attention of the American govern
ment to the fact that the British ad-
miralty in confidential instructions
issued in February 1915, recommend
ed its mercantile shipping not only
to seek protection under neutral
flags, but also, while disguised to at
tack German submarines by ram
ming. AS special incitation to mer-
chantmen to destroy submarines the
British government also offered high
prizes and has already paid such re-
wards.
Not as "Undefended."
"The imperial government, in view
of these facts, indubitably known to
it, is unable to regard British mer-
chantmen in the zone of naval op-
erations specified by the admiralty
staff of the German navy as 'unde-
fended.' German commanders con-
sequently are no longer able to OBJ
serve the customary regulations of
the prize law, which they before al
ways followed.
FINALLY the imperial government
must point out particularly that the
Lusitania on its last trip, as on ear
lier occasions, carried Canadian
troops and war material, including
no less than 5,4OO cases of ammuni-