South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-04-12
Note in Reply to u. S. Demand
JuStifieS Capture of 80
TeutOnS Declaring They
Were Aiding Revolution.
SAY THEY GATHERED
GUNS AND AMMUNITION
Charge Conspiracy Was Form
ed to AiG Revolt Against
English Government
in India.
ternatlonal - smvlce.


| WASHINGTON. April 12.-Great
[ Britain contends that the removal OF
/ 2S Germans. Austrians and Turks
+ from the American steamship China
/ by the British cruiser Iaurentc in
/ Chinese waters on Feb. IS was legal
/ because those persons were engaged
in plotting against the British gov
eminent. Both he American protest
/ in the case. and the British reply.
/ which was written by Sir Edward
/ Grey. British secretary Of state for
/ foreign affairs We're given cut for
publication by the state department
l today.
The British reply states that the
German residents OF Shanghai.
/ China, plotted TO ship arms and am
I munition 10 India % aid a revolution
against the British there The plot
was discovered and several arrested.
/ the note charges. Others in the plot.
/ the note says. were TO go 20 Manila
\ 10 carry on the work there. The 80
/ persons taken Off the china were all
I alleged 20 be on their way 20 Manila
/ TO plot against the British govern
ment
VIII Ask Proof.
/ While no official announcement was
/ made. state department officials
made il plain that they don't believe
T that this government viii accept the
British position They believe an
+ other note will be sent TO the British
/ government at once. demanding
proof that the 3S persons taken from
]
plotting against the British govern
ment. II this proof is not forth
coming il is thought here the re-
/ lease Of the 80 persons again Will be
demanded by this government
The British note says In part:
The present war has shown that
I the belligerent activities Of the en-
emies OF this country are by no
| means confined 20 the actual thea
I tiers of military and naval operations
and that there IS no limit 10 the
methods by which Germany in par
! ticular seeks TO secure victory for
/ her arms. The hostile efforts OF tns
enemy have shown and continue To-
show themselves on neutral soil i'm
many parts OF the world i'm political
4 intrigues. revolutionary plots.
schemes for attack the sea-borus
trade OF this country and her allies.
/ in endeavOrs 10 facilitate the opera
tions Of ships engaged in this task.
and incriminate enterprises OF diff
| ferent kinds directed against tho
I property of neutrals and belli-erents
alike War has in effect been ex-
tended far beyond the bounds OF the
area in which opposing armies
maneuver. and an INSCRIPTIONS bel
ligerent may Infict the deadliest
blows on his enemy i'm regions re-
mote from actual fighting
Cites L. =. Action.
"I may add that the action Of the
United states government i'm for
warding requests for safe conducts
for agents OF states at war with this
country whose actions had been such
that their continued presence I'm the
United States could NO longer be toll
Grated. affords a strong indication
that the right 10 remove certain
classes of persons from neutral ships
can in the circumstances Of this
present war De not confined TO PEI
sons embodied jim the armed forces
OF a bellgerent.
II may add FOR the confidential ir-
formation OF the government OF tho
United states that from actual oc-
currences and from reliable inf0r-
nation received 10 has been definite
IL established that the Germans rec
ident ln Shanghai have been en-
gagged for some time past in the col
lection of arms ana ammunition.
both for clandestine transmission 10
India and. II possible for the armins
~ a ship 20 play the part Of far
eastern Moewe His majesty-s eov~
eminent was able 20 cope with this
activtty 20 "A considerable extent and
obtained the arrests OF various Ger
man agents caught in the act ~ at
tempting 20 -muEsle arms out II
Shanghai. furthermore the Germans
became aware that his maTesty's
government knew OF their plots. The
commander-in-chief. China station.
received information that owing 10
this fact the Germans were planning
o. shift the center Of their activity
from Shanghai 10 Manila. Subse-
quently ne was definitely Informed
that 80 Germans had planned &C.
leave Shanghai In the steamshG
China anc proceed 10 Manila
Intercept Party.
His maJesty's ships were sent p.
patrol or the mouth ~ the YanEtss