The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-10-18
Charges Freely Banded About
In House of Commons OF
Breach Of Neutrality
LORD BERESFORD
LEADS IN ATTACK
Based Aspersions On Ground
That U.S.Destroyer Got Out
of Way to Enable U-53 to
Sink British Ship

london. Oct lT-Direct charges
that the United States had violated
its neutrality and then yelled ihhue
does of collision between Amer 'Cah
officials and the COMMANDER Oh ''ie
German submarine I-5S were hla"e
todv In the House of Lords oy sew
eral OF the most prominent peers
in England.
They elected from Viscount Grey
minister of foreign affairs, state
nent that Great Britain would say
no word TO the United States on the
incident until Washington mad macs
public the official report which IS gen
= orally expected
The foreign minister stated quite
plainly that Great Rrita'o is await
ing such statement Inc lht'I.
tion was further made that eite'
American view had been set forth
England might see NJ 70 maxi iep-
resentat ions 10 the United states
The charges of neutrality violation
were made nv Lord Charles Beres-
ford. former commander of the Rrf-
lsh home fleet, Earl Grey. FORMER
governor general 81 Canada, anu
Other noted speakers
FarI Grey made the direct demand
th1t fhc United states government
give Assurances that the newspaper
REPORTS describing hnw tinted Htaie~s
to.aeda boat aestrayerS shcered OF
- tbe REQUEST of tn, German suhma-
rjre row Wander 10 a9ak e room Tor
tlsr ,r~pcaofr.. Vt f. Nrtish merchant
rse was t0truc
t,i,iriSr- t:,;'cfi states.
4ae. ureaaf1~d -ni'ferly cri'iHized
thu EnstsA gaze pote making public
iva. position ~ 'hC american govern
rnsnt on tto anrs'sop Of belIigerent
.ss1h.nari,fa entering }ts harhors
He declared the american view or
" nat constituted neutrality was "con'-
eel"
The submarine note h" asserted
vas too bl-tes 10 sar thn least
He declared tlsat the appearance OF
United states dcstroyers on the scene
~ the torpedoinrs made II appear
.Teat a vrevfotis arrangement hal been
entered into between the German u
Loaf commando and American naval
officials This WAS based, apparently.
on raports th8i during his call AZ
Newport the &c man officer had re-
ouested th8t destroyers ne sent out.
The question Of the Protest OF the
United States against the presence or
british cruisers off Its coasts was then
entered into n Was on this question
tha' Niscount Grey made his state
rnent,
The statement left no doubt that
T.oZ-7T}7t nvTICv-S av early statement
Fl, 'fe- .iteA states government on
the lea Incident Such statement
wa% pincticaIly automatically de-
mandcd
we assume that the Unite | States
Will make II crouch investigation, y
asserted the foreign minister We
further assume that its attitude will
~
then We will make no representations
nr This question"
Replying to Lord Beresfords aues-
tons whether British cruisers had
been withdrawn from the American
coast patrol at the request OF Wash
ington. Eiscount Grey said that the
ships had not been recalled
The United States admitted he fur
Their asserted that the British gov
ernment was completely within its
right In maintaining the patrol, hut
based its request on the fact that the
presence OF heliigerent warships In
rlose proximity 10 the coast was Ike
ly to cause un"asiness in neutral
d country. as r. nit. the foreign min
lister stated. IN" British government
had instructed tho commanders OF
The warshlps to avoid as far as pos
tble all circumstances which might
fause an unfavorable impression in
America. The American .ro1est had
been quite emphatic and the naval
commanders were directed to meet
the American request as far as II was
in their power to do so.
No Proof As to Charge.
As far the submarine incident
went. Vscount Grey declared that no
proof was available that United States
warships had facilitated the sinking
: of a British Inerchantman by draw
I ing off from the scene at the request
I of the German submarine commander
we do not know what steps the
United States has taken to patrol its
coast" he said neither do We know
whether there is any truth In the re-
port that United States warships got
out of the submarines WAY. That is
for me American government to in
. firrrat "a ri lie,