The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-01-11
GERMANY NOTE
To UNITED STATES
IS MADE PUBLIC
SAYS PLACING PASSENGERS IN
LIFE BOATS CANNOT AT ALL
TIMES BE CONSIDERED AS
SURFING THEM A PLACE OF
SAFETY.
BIZ Associated paEss.

Washington, Jan. 9.-Germamy's
note accepting ths American conten-
tions that the mere placing OF nom
cornbatants in life boats when prize
ship la to be destroyed In not under
all conditions to be considered assur-
ing them place of safety, was made
public today by the state department.
The note In thu latest communfca-
tiOn over the sinking OF the American
sailing ship William p. Frye, and be-
sides making the important conces-
sion regarding the question of small
boats, takes mp the question OF an In
demnity fer the sunken ship and for
arbitTating the disputed provisions of
the Prussian-American treaty.
The most important part Of the
text relating to the sinking Of ships
carrying c0ntraband ard the safety
of non-combatants foElowss
Until the decision Of the permanent
court Of arbitration, the German
naval forces Will sink only such
American vessels as arW loaded with
absolute contraband, when the pre-
conditions provided by rhe declaration
Of London are present. In this the
German government quite shares the
view Of the American government
that all possible care must be taken
for the security Of the crew and pas
sengerg Of vessel 10 be sunk. Com
sequsntIy, the persons found ON board
of vessel may not DO ordered into
her life boats except when the general
conditions, that La TO say, the weather,
the condition Of the sea and the
neighborhOod Of the coasts afford abb
solute certainty that the boats VIII
reach the nearest port. For the rest
the German government begs TO point
out that In cases where German naval
forces have sunk neutral vessels for
carrying contrabsnd, no loss OF life
has yet occurred"
Germany declined, however, to have
the commissioners who viii settle the
Frye damages meet I'm Washington
because It Is pointed out that the Ger
man expert, DR.. Greve, OF Bremen d.
rector Of the North German Lloyd
would be exposed TO danger Of cap
ture during a voyage to America, Gin
consequence Of the conduct Of mari
time war by England contrary to in
ternational law"
It Is suggested that the German
and American experts might get I'm
touch by correspondence. Germany
also declines to assent at this time 10
the nomination Of an umpire In the
absence of determination of whether
the experts would settle damages or
principles. Germany refuses to have
an umpire consider the question Of
principle. In case the United States
insists that the experts meet In
Washington and that an umpire be
named at once, Germany suggests
that the damages be arranged by
diplomatic negotiation.
For the arbitration Of the Prus-
sian-American treaty, Germany, In
the note, proposes special court of
five from the permanent court at The
Hague, of which each country shall
chose two and the four shall choose
the fifth to meet at The Hague, June
Is. The special court would decide
whether under the Prussian Amerf-
can treaty, "the belligerent contract
ing party is prevented from sinking
merchant vessels Of the neutral con-
tracing party for carrying contra
band when such sinking is permissi
BILE, according to the general princi-
pies of international law"
The United States has contended