Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-02
Told to Inform u. s. That Ger
many's Assurances as to Flu.
ture U-BOat Warfare Applies
TO Powerful Merchantmen.
SUBMARINE ATTACKED
Berlin Submits List of 20 Incl
dents OF Armed British Mer-
chant Vessels Firing on Sub
mersibles-Germany Will Car
ry Out Her New Sea Order.

Washington, Fob. 21.-Cicrmany has in
structed Count Won Bcrnstorff to inform
the United States government that the
assurances regarding the future conduct
oI submarine warfare given in the Lus-
tanla and Arabic cases. still are binding.
but that they apply only to merchantmen
of Il peaceful character. The German
government is understood to contend that
armed merchantmen without regard to
the nature of their armament. have shown
themselves not TO be peaceful, and there
fore are subject to destruction without
warning.
The instructions direct the German am
Uassador particularly to tell Secretary
Lansing that British merchantmen arm
ed ostcnshly only for defense. have not
assumed the character of peace traders.
but that on the contrary they carry guns
for the especial purpose of attacking Ger
man submarines. To support this claim
the Berlin foreign Office has sent the am
haSsador for presentation to the state
department, "A list of at least - incidents
where it is claimed British merchant ships
have attacked submarines.
Confidential adviccs received from
feriin state that German and Austrian
submarine commanders already have
been given their new orders and that
from midnight Tuesday they will be
authorized to sink without warning
all armed merchant ships of the en-
omies of Germany. It was said also
th@t many of the submarine command
ors probably had left their bases on
voyages and that even should the
United States request the postponing
OF the opening or the campaign 1t
would he impossible to get word to
many of the submarines
1t WAS stated, however, that so far
neither the United States nor any 9TH
tr hatlon had asked postponement.
Will" Count Won Bcrnstorff and
other officials of the German embassy
declined to discuss the Instructions
from Berlin in any way. it is believed
the ambassador will present them or
aUN to Secretary Lansing Tomorrow
They viii not. it was said, take the
form of a note, unless Secretary Lam
sing desires it. Count Won BornstorH
received his instructions in reply to
request from tho United States for as
sHrauccS regarding the conduct of sub
marine warfare in the future occa sioned
hv the memorandum announcing the in
t'ution of Germany to sink armed ships
without warning, which the admnlstra-
ton considered to be inconsistent with
the assurances previously given.
Regardless of the form in which the
matter is presented to Secretary Lam
sing, the German ambassador will lay
much stress upon the assurances re-
Sardlng the armlnG of merchant ships
which We're given to the United States
by Great Britain in memorandum
signed by Sir cecil Spring Rice, the
British ambassador. on August %, 1914
In this the British ambassador wrote
that British vessels would never he used
for purposes of attack, that they We're
merely peaceful traders armed only for
defense and that they would never fire
unless first fired upon and that they
would never under any circumstances
attack any vessel.
Germany claims that Great Britain
has deliberately violated these assur-
auccs and Secretary Lansing will be so
informed
Ambassador Won Bcrnstorn's attention
also has been directed to the American
memorandum of September 10. 1914, to
port authorities which define for their
benefit defensive armament. In this
document it is stated that THE pres
once Of an armament and ammunition
ON board merchant vessel creates the
presumption that the armament is for
offensive purposes, but the owners or
agents may overcome this presumption
by evidence showing that the vessel car
RIGS armament solely for defensive pur-
poses"
rue serln government is said To
TIL Il
ship, upon it. will rest the burden of
proof regarding guns. but will contend
that upon the government owning the
ship would fall the burden of proof re-
rarding the offensive character Of
the armament.
Ambassador Won Bcrnstorff is under
| stood to have been given no instructions
| 10 request from the United States dcini-
| itN.1 OF what 1t considers under existing
conditions may be considered defensive
armament He is understood however, to
| have prepared to discuss the question with
| Secretary Lansing should it he brought
up during the coming conference.
The ambassador also is understood to
have been instructed to call to the atten-
ton of Secretary Lansing the fact tina,
French ships arc not armed and that con
sequently the Berlin government consid
CrS the chances OF difficulties with the
United States as result OF the new pol
ley as remote. The attitude Of the state
department probably will not be made
known at once, Much depends upon the
contents Of the appendices to the Ger
man memorandum which are claimed tc
contain copies of alleged confidential in
| structions to masters of British merchant
men regarding warfare on submarines
| state department officials have been await
ing the arrival of these appendices witt
much interest. and It has been admitted
that they may have an important bear
ing upon the attitude of this government
toward the entire question.
If is understood that the .Austro-llunca
rLn embassy here has received advco'
somewhat similar to those sent from Der
| lin to Count Won Bcystorn
Berlin Feb. =. via London, Feb, s. 20
n m-No authoritative announcement il
available here concerning tho report thai
Germany will postpone the putting into