The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1916-05-06


Sayville, n. Y, May 6).-Following
is the text of the note of the German
government in reply to the American
note respecting submarine warfare,
delivered on Thursday by Gottiieb
Won Jagow, the foreign secretary to
Ambassador Gerard:
"The undersigned, on behalf of
the German imperial government has
the honor to present for his eXcellen-
cy, the ambassador of the United
States, Mr.. James w. Gerard, the
following reply at the note of April
20, regarding the conduct of German
submarine warfare:
The German government handed
over to the proper naval authorities
for early investigation the evidence
concerning the Sussex as communi-
Gated by the government of the
United States. Judging by the results
that the. investigation has hitherto
yielded the German government is
alive to the possibility that the ship
mentioned in the note of April 10 as
having been torpedoed by a German
submarine is actually identical with
the Sussex.
The German government begs to
reserve further communication on the
matter until certain points are ascer-
tanned, which are of decisive impor-
ftance for establishing the facts of the
case. Should it turn out that the
commander was wrong in assuming
the vessel to be a man of war the
German government will not fail to
draw the consequence resulting there
from.
I'm connection with the case of the
Sussex the government of the United
States made series of statements,
the gist of which is the assertion that
the incident is to be considered but
one instance of deliberate method
OF indiscriminate destruction of yes.
sells of all sorts, nationalities and
destinations by German submarine
commanders.
The German government must
emphatically repudiate the assertion.
The German government, however.
thinks it of little avail to enter into
details in the present stage of affairs.
more particularly as the government
Of the United States omitted to sub
stantiate the assertion by reference
of concrete facts.
The German government will only
state that it has imposed far-reach-
ing restraints hn Df
submarine weapon, solely in consid-
GRAFTON of neutral's interests, in spite
of the fact that these restrictions are
necessarily of advantage to Ger
| many's enemies. No such considera-
tion has ever been shown neutrals
| by Great Britain and her allies.
The German submarine forces
| have had, in fact. orders to conduct
the submarine warfare in accordance
with the general principles of visit
| and search and the destruction of
merchant vessels recognized by inter
national law, the sole exception being
the conduct of warfare against enemy
freight ships encountered in the war
zone surrounding Great Britain. With
regard to these no assurances have
ever been given to the government of
the United States. No such assur-
ances are contained in the declaration
of February 8, 1916.
| The German government cannot
admit any doubt that these orders
were given or are executed in good
faith. Errors actually occurred. They
| can in no kind of warfare be avoided
altogether Allowances must be
made in the conduct of naval warfare
against an enemy resorting to all
, kinds of ruses, whether permissible or
! Illicit.
"But apart from the possibility of
errors, naval warfare. just like war
fare on land, implies unavoidable
dangers for neutral persons and goods
entering the fighting zone Even in
cases where the naval action is CON
fined to ordinary forms of cruiser
warfare neutral persons and goods
repeatedly come to grief
The German government has re-
peatedly and explicitly pointed out the
dangers from mines that have led to
the loss of numerous ships.
"The German government has
made several proposals to the gov
ernment of the United States, in or.
der to reduce to minimum for
American travellers and goods the in.
herent dangers of naval warfare. Tn
fortunately. the government of the
United States decided not to accent
the proposals. Had it accepted the
government of the United States
would have been instrumental in pre-.
venting the greater part Of the acct
dents that American citizens have
met with in the meantime.
"The German government still
stands by its offer to come to an
agreement along these lines.
"As the German government re.
peatedly declared il cannot dispense
with the use of the submarine wea-
pom in the conduct of warfare against
enemy trade. The German govern.
ment, however, has now decided to
make further concession, adapt.
| ing methods OF submarine war 20