Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-03
UNITED STATES
To RULE APPAM
PRIZE Of WAR
England Contends That Vessel
Should Be Turned Back 10
Holders, but Washington
Takes Different View of II,

rev sonaiso JOURNAL aefeitl tfttfo Sieti
Washington. Feb 2..--lndieation7
that the British passenger liner Appam
brought IN Hampton Roads VS. q Ger
mnn prize Grey. will be held by the
/ United states ~ BE- u German prize
Of war and not an auxiliary cruiser.
were given tonight IN high official
Quarters.
+ The neutrality board which advises
the state department on such quest
tions. announced today that the ship
was q prize, but the announcement
WIS recalled later presumably because
the state department itself has not
acted.
The real point 30 be decided is
whether the Appam shall remain In
possession Of the prize crew under
the terms Of the Prussian-Amcrican
treaty or shall be- returned TO her
British owners under The Hague con-
vcntlon. Indications were given that
the state department will hold that
the prize belongs to Germany
/ Count Won Boretotf the German
Ambassador. In a formal note to Sec
lAppam came into Hampton Roads un-
der the treaty which guarantees her
TO her captors. Sir cecil Spring Rice.
the British Ambassador. asked that the
ship be returned 20 her British own.
ers as n prize recovered under The
Hague convention
Tho Hague convention under article
4 49, a hs "a
ment Of the crew and the surrender
Of the ship. but state department Of
ficials are doubtful whether IT can be
applied to the case Of the Appani.
first because tho prusalan-Amorcnn
treaty believed 10 be binding and
second, because Great Britain signed
but never ratified this particular
Hague convention.
Until the status Of the ship Is de-
cIded she viii remain IN the GUS
tody Of the Norfolk customs author
itios and If turned over 20 Germany
may be kept In port or sent TO sea 49,
the German government chooses
Troublesome Question Avoided
1t was regarded az significant that
neither the British nor the German
authorities contended that the Appnm
WINS naval auxiliary Thus the Unit
ed states is relieved from deciding q
question which officials feared would
become one of the most troublesome
OF the war. Az both governments
concede she is q prize, nothing re-
mains TO be decided except her dlspo-
stion.
The state department today request
ed the customs authorities 10 land all
passengers and on-combatants Their /
case now goes to the immigration au-
thurlties Foreign consuls viii care
for their own nationals who are IN
digent. Those who can afford TO do
so are free TO go on to Europe. Those T
who wish to remain In the United
states must comply with the usual i'm
migration regulations Any Germans
who elect to return to Germany and +
cannot find ways TO do so probably I
viii have to be cared for by the gov 7
ernment at some immigration station 7
Says Appam Resisted.
Count Won Bernstorffs communica-
nun 10 f1ftl'AAiA ishHAlHk Whf l'ttH'' E
ON Information in telegram from
Lieutenant Berg. commander of thef
Appam. II was stated also in the tele- I
gram that the Appam had resisted +
before being captured aud that she has
aboard II military transport of
enemy subjects. 1t was believed here /
that Lieutenant Berg referred TO gun
pointers removed from British ships
destroyed by the cuptor Of the Ap-
pam.
II was indicated at the German em-
bassy that the question Of whether the +
United states should be asked 10 in
tern the military transport until the
end of the war was being considered. /
II was also said that Count Won Bern /
storff had advised his government of
The circumstances surrounding the
arrival Of the Appam and was await
ing complete instructions before pro
ceoding further