New Britain herald., 1916-09-21
BRITAIN APOLOGIZES FOR HOLDING CEbU
Says Action Was Due to Fog
 Off Coast

Washington, Sept. 21.-Through Ambassador Spring Rice, the British government has replied to the Amerl- can governments protest against the action of a British torpedo boat de- stroyer, which recently held up the Philippine steamer, Cebu, within the three mile territorial limit, near Manila. The British government as- serts that it was an accidental in fringement of American territorial waters, caused by weather that made it impossible to see the shores. On instructions from Viscount Grey, tDe British ambassador expressed the re- gret of the British government for the incident.
 The text of the British am bassador's s note was not made public However, Secretary Lansing issued this formal statement paraphrasing the sense oI the communication:
 "In regard to the case of the Phll- ippine steamer Cebu, which was held Up and examined by a British cruiser one and one-half miles from Carapao Island and within the territorial wa ters of the Philippine Islands, the de- partment has received note from the British embassy stating that when the Cebu was boarded the land was hid den, but as soon as the weather cleared and it was found that the ship was within territorial waters the boarding officers were recalled, and that the passenger list was examined, but the ship was not searched. On In- structions of Viscount Grey, the re- greats of his Majesty's government were expressed at this accidental in fringement of American territorial waters."
 The Cebu incident was reported to the war department on Sept. 12 by Francis Burton Harrison, governor general of the Philippines, whose dis patch was immediately turned over to the state department and 8 protest was made to the British government The Cebu was held up in latitude fourteen degrees sixteen minutes, longitude 120 degrees thirty-five minutes, or one and one-half miles from CarabaO ls- land, on Sept. Il, inside the three-mlle limit of neutral waters recognized by international law as immune from bel ligerent operations. The vessel was boarded by Lieutenant Baiies Of the British destroyer No. 2, who apparent lv was in search of man named Bady, who was not found on board the Cebu.
 The British naval officer made 1n- uuiries about the passengers aboard and took the passenger and cargo Ist and examined them. On releasing the Cebu the British lieutenant made this notation on her log:
 'Boarded at 3:5O A. M., 9-1l-l6; examined and passed.'
 London Sept. 21.-The holding up of the Philippine steamer Cebu is be- lieved here to have resulted from CT forts of British warships to capture German reservist connected With a iunta in Manila. The reserVist was be- lieved to have been aboard the Cebu He is said to be one of mum Der o1 Germans and Indians, making thel1 headquarters in Manila for the pur- pose of sending guns to India and en- couraging a revolution there.
 In official circles here it is stated that Manila is not the chief center o1 these activities, but that the important branches also exist in the Unltec | States. The British parliament, It ls said, has made representations 'f l Washington on the subject but no in | timation has been received yet Una Washington has taken steps to crusf the organization, which according tt | statements, is subsidized heavily b, l Germans