The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-07-29
PAINFUL IMPRESSION

London. July 2S.-News of the execution
of Captain Fryatt of the British steamer
Brussels caused a painful impression at
the British foreign office. Under the
instruction of Viscount Grey, the foreign
secretary, a note was dispatched imme-
diately to the American embassy request
ing that James w. Gerard, the Amer
lean ambassador at Berlin, procure COM
plete details of the affair.
The first intimation of the trial of
Captain Fryatt was called to the atten-
ton of the foreign office by press re-
ports on July Is to the effect that he
was to be tried as the result of finding
on him a watch containing an inscrip-
ton reciting his efforts to ram German
submarine.
From inquiries made of the owners of
the steamship Wrexham, which Captain
Fryatt commanded when the alleged in
cident took place, the foreign office
learned the captain had with him neither
a watch nor a letter to the effect that
he had attempted to ram a submarine
with him when he was captured There
fore, officials here state the charge must
have been based on press reports.
When the news that Captain Fryatt
was to be tried was received the for
eign office immedia tely sent a note to
the American ambassador. Walter H.
Page, requesting that American diplo-
matte representatives take all necessary
steps to provide for his defense, calling
attention to the fact that the Wrex-
hams act in steering toward the subma-
rine and forcing her to dive was essen
TALLY defensive and precisely the same as
If she had used the defensive and with
the United States and Breat Britain hold
to be an undoubted right.
NO REPLY FROM GERARD
No reply was received from Ambassa-
dor Gerard, but the foreign office is
convinced he acted with his usual
promptitude. Therefore, it is their theory
that the trial and execution of Captain
the case of Miss Edith Cavell.
Besides the original inquiry, the for
eign office sent two other notes on the
subject to Amba ssador Gerard
Discussing the case with the Associated
Press, Baron Newton, under secretary
for foreign affairs, who during the con-
versation was summoned to Foreign Sec
retarly Grey's office for conference on
the subject, said:
ION the face of the details of the re-
port as received by us, the explanation
OF Captain Fryatt seems to be worse than
the Cavell case 1t is an extremely grave
incident, the Importance of which it
would be difficult to exaggerate. 1t must
be borne in mind that when the alleged
rammlng look place German submarines
were attacking merchant ships without
any warning whatsoever
The British foreign office has been in
formed that five stewardesses of the
steamship Brussels have been taken to
a German detention camp. The foreign
office has sent a vigorous protest through
the American embassy, demanding their
immediate release on the ground that
their internment is illegal.
The Fryatt case calls attention to the
German prize regulations which provide
that under circumstances similar to the
capture Of the Brussels, merchantmen
are to be treated as prisoners Of war.
An appendix to those regulations issued
July %, 1914, reads:
IF an armed enemy merchant vessel
offers armed resistance to the right of
visit and search and capture, this is TO
be broken down by all possible means
The enemy government is responsible for
any damage thereby caused to the ship,
its cargo and passengers. The members
of the crew are to be treated as prisoners
Of war. Passengers are to be liberated
unless it is proved they have taken part
in the resistance. In the latter case, they
are to be proceeded against in accordance
with the extraordinary martial law proce-
dure.''