The Ely miner., 1915-06-18

Inc Gc4t Ol Tic HOLc Iollo"S.
Text Of American Note.
Washington. June 1.-THE text OF
he American rejoinder to the Ger
man governments reply to the note
following the sinking Of the Lusitania
is as follows:
The Secretary of State ad interim to
the American Ambassador to
Berlin.
Department Of State.
Washington, June 3, 1915.
American Ambassador, Berlin:
You are instructed to deliver text
ually the following note to the min
sster of foreign affairs:
In compliance with your excel
lency's request l did not fail to trans
NIT to my government Immediately
upon receipt your note May % in re-
ply to my note of May Is, and your
supplementary note of June 1, set
ting forth the conclusions so far as
reached by the imperial German Gov
ernment concerning the attacks on the
american steamers Cushing and Gulf
light. l am now instructed by my gov
ernment to communicate the follow
ing reply:
Sea Free to NeutraIs.
THE government of the United
States notes with qualification the full
recognition by the imperial German
government, in discussing the cases
Of the Cushing and the Gulh;ght, of
che principle of the freedom OF all
parts OF the open sea to neutral ships
and the frank willingness Of the i'm
perial German government to acknowl.
edge and meet its liability where the
fact of attack upon neutral ships
which have not been guilty Of any
hostile act by German aircraft or yes
sells OF war, is satisfactorily estab
lshed; and the government OF the
United States will In due course lay
before the imperial German govern
ment as it requests, full information
concerning the attack on the steamer
Gushing.
with regard to the sinking Of the
steamer Falaba, by which an Ameri
can citizen lost his life, the govern
ment Of the United States is surprised
TO find the imperial German govern
ment contending that an effort on the
rart Of merchantman to escape cap
ture and secure assistance alters th'
obligation of the officer seeking t,
make the capture in respect to thu
safety Of the lives Of those on boart
the merchantmen. although the vesse
has ceased her attempt to escap'
when torpedoed.
Principles Do Not Alter.
These are not new circumstances
They have been in the minds Of states
men and of international jurist
throughout the development Of nava
warfare, and the government OF tn
United States does not unGerstan
that they have ever been held to alte
the principles of humanity upon whic
II has insisted. Nothing but actua
sorcible resistance or continued effort
70 escape by flight when ordered t
stop for the purpose Of visit on tn
part of the merchantmen has eve
been held to forfeit the lives of he
passengers or crew. The governmer
OF the United States, however. doe
not understand that the imperial &c
man government Is seeking In th
case to relieve itself Of liability. b,
only intends to set forth the circur
stances which led the commander {
the submarine to allow himself to /
hurried into the course which he too
Gives Official Information.
Your excellency's note, in discus
ing the loss Of American lives r
sulting from the sinking of the stear
ship Lusitania, adverts at some lengt
20 certain information which the II
perial German government has recei
ed with regard to the character al
outfit Of that vessel, and your exc,
lency expresses the fear that this
formation may not have been broug
20 the attention of the government