The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-02
TEXT Of IDENTICAL
NOTES FR0MFRANCE
AND GREAT BRITAIN
Will Cut Of All. Shipments to
and From Germany. but
Will Not Harm a ship or
Damage Cargo

washington, March Following
In the text of the British and French
notes handed to Secretary Bryan.
which were in practically identical
language:
germany has declared that the
English Channel, the north and west
coasts OF France, and the waters
around the British Isles, are war
area, and has officially notified that
all enemy ships found in that
area will be destroyed, and thai
neutral vessels may be exposed 70
danger This is. in effect. claim To
torpedo at sight, without regard 70
the safety Of the crew or passengers
any merchant vessels under any flag
AS 1t Is not in the power OF the Ger
man admiralty to maintain any sur
face craft in these waters. this attack
can only be delivered by submarine
agency.
Law Of Nations.
1.-THE law and custom OF nations
in regard to attacks on comerce nave
Always presumed that the first duty Oh
the captor OF n merchant vessel Is ia
BRING it before prize court where II
NAV be tried, where the regularity
of the capture may be challenged, and
where neutrals may recover their
cargoes The sinking of prizes Is ~
itself a questionable act to De re-
sorted to only in extraordinary CIR
cumstances. and after provisions
have been made for the SAFETY OF ali
the crew or passengers. II there are
passengers on board. the responsloh-
ity for discriminating between neu-
trail and enemy cargo. obviously rests
with the attacking ship. whose duty
1t Is to verify all papers before sink
ing or even capturing IT. 30 aiso
Is the humane duty Of providing lot
the safety of the crews OF merchan'
vessels. whether neutral or enemy
an obligation upon every oeiiisereht
Fundamental Laws.
at In upan this basis that all pre-
yious discussions the law for regu'
lating warfare at sea were proceeded
German submarine, however, fui'
fills none of the obligations. she en-
Joys no local command OF the waters
in which she operates: she does no'
take her captures within the 1urisdic-
ton of a prize court: she carries no
crew which she can put on board Q
prize. she uses no effective means
OF discriminating between neutral
and an enemy ship. she does not re-
ceive on board for safety the crew
and passengers OF the vessel she 5'nks
her methods OF warfare are. there.
fore. entirely outside the scope 81
any of the international instruments
regulating operations AGAINST COM
merce in time of war. The German
declaration substitutes indiscrimi-
nate destruction for regulated cap
ture. Germany Is adopting these
methods against peaceful traders and
noncombatant crews, with the
avowed object of preventing comodi-
ties of all kinds. including food for the
civil population, from reaching or
leaving the British Isles or northern
France.
Driven TO Retaliation.
Her opponents are. therefore
driven to frame retaiitory measures
in order In their turn to prevent com
modities OF any kind from reachinR
or leaving Germany. These meas
ures will. however, be enforced by
the British and French governments
without risk to neutra: or noncon
blatant life. and in strict observance
Of the dictates of humanity. Tne
British and French governments Will
therefore, hold themselves free TO
detain and take into port ships carry :
ing goods OF presumed enemy desti'
nation. ownership or origin, unless
they would otherwise be liable to con
domination. The treatment OF vessels
and cargoes which have sailed be-
fore this date will not be affected