, 1916-10-14

ment of belligerent submarines in neutral
ports is as follows The Government
OF the United States has received the
Identical memorandum of the Governments
of France, Great Britain, Russia and Japan,
In which neutral Governments are exhorted to
take ef6cacious measures tending to prevent
belligerent submarines, regardless of their use,
to avail themselves of neutral waters road
steads and harbours. These Governments
point out the facility possessed by such craft
to avoid super vision or SUI veilauce or deter
mine their power to do injury that is lnher-
ent in their very nature as well as the addi-
tional facilities afforded by having at their
disposal, places where they can rest and re-
plenish their supplies. Apparently on these
grounds the Allied Governments hold that
submarine vessels must be excluded from the
benefit of the rules heretofore accepted un-
der international law regarding the adj
mission and sojourn of war merchant
vessels in neutral waters, roadsteads
or harbours, Any submarine of Il belliger-
eHt that once enters a neutral harbour
must be held there, and therefore the Allied
Governments warn neutral powers Of the
great danger to neutral submarines attend
ing navigation of waters visited by the sub
marines of belligerents. Ia reply the Gov
ernment of the United States must express
its surprise that there appears to be an
endeavour for the Allied Powers to deter
mine the rule Of action governing what they
regard as q novel situation i'll respect to the
use of submarines in tho war, and to enforce
acceptance of that rule, at least in partly
warning neutral powers of great danger to
their submarines in waters that may be
visited by belligerent submarines. In
the opinion of the Government of the
United States its Allied Powers have
not set forth any circumstances, nor Is
the Government of The United States at pre-
sent aware of any circumstances concerning
the use of war merchant submarines which
would render the existing rules of interna-
tionnl law lnapplicable 10 them. In view of
this fact and of the notice and warning of
the Allied Powers announced in their memo
randum under acknowled cement, it is incum-
bent upon the Government of the United
States TO notify the Governments of France,
Great Britain, Russia and Japan that So far
as the treatment of either wal or merchant
submarines in American waters is concerned,
the Government of the United States re-
serves its liberty Of action in all respects and
will treat such vessels as in its opinion be-
comes the action of Il power which may be
said to have taken the first step toward es-
tablishing the principles OF neutrality, and
which for over a century has maintained
those principles IN Inc Iradl'lOnal sprlI, anu
with the high sense of impartiality in which
they were concerned. In order however that
there should be no misunderstanding as to
the attitude of the United States, the Gov
eminent of the United States announces to
the Allied powers that it holds it to be the
duty of belligerent powers to distinguish
between submarines OF neutral and belliger-
ent nationality, and that responsibility for
any conflict that may arise between belli-
gerent warships and neutral submarines on
account of the neglect of a belligerent to so
distinguish betweent the classes of submarines,
must rest entirely upon the negligent powers.
San Juan, Porto Rico, Oct. l3th-Valky-
rien arrived 8 a. m.
st. Thomas, Oct. l3th.-tn all parts of this
island the greatest distress prevails, the dam
age TO property and crops being Wholesale,
and while no loss of life is reported except
two among The shipping, a considerable num-
Der OF live stock has ~pelisbed. Hundreds Of
homeless persons have been given shelter in
large warehouses, and much charity both
public and private is being distributed, while
help is promised from the Mother Country.
Tie German steamer "Wasgenwald" has
been refoated and the motor steamer AN
holt" is ashore.