New Britain herald., 1916-02-02

8 (Conttnued From First Page)
 nsiders the Appam a prize and not
 naval auxiliary.
 M Commander Hamilton's report does S believe the Appam was captured @ the German merchantmen Moewe. m thinks that some other armed
 rchant ship made the capture. s#One factor which must be weighed @ the neutrality board is that
 Eeral of the Englishmen on the M pam were gun tenders on mer- SRntmen which fought the unknown
 &nmerce raider before they sub- stted.
 BY lear Admiral Beatty, commanding 8 Norfolk Navy Yard, has reported zpt Lieut.. Berge claims the ship is &Sprize of war. The German Elm
 Fsy has not yet determined whether
 will claim the Appam as an auxil- ##y cruiser or g. prize. e Release of Passengers.
 Fhe formalities surrounding the re-
 se of passengers and other non
 batants on the ship will be taken @ today.
 was made clear that the navy
 apartment would take no cognizance 2 the Appam until the state depart nt had decided her status. A@The first point to be determined H4 be the status of the liner.
 the Appam is found to be 3 n-of-war, Lieutenant Hans Berg Mnmander of the German prize crew 8$Aoard, will have the option of 8881er interning his crew and ship or M ting to sea.
 3 Novel Phase of Neutrality. zShould the Appam be declared a
 ze the United States government face novel phase of it's neutral 2 There is much confusion In the
 atfes and provisions of information @ law on the subject of prizes. One 3 ory is that title to a captured ship ses not pass until a prize court has 8e ed. Tie commonly accepted z erican naval view is that title Tses immediately after the capture
  @ A declaration made by Jieuten- @ Bedg to Collector Hamilton of @ port of Norfolk was on it's way to s shington today. It was expected M clear up conflicting statements re- a4 4ding the claim of the German
 nmander. Press reports from Nor 8g stated that Lieutenant Berg de- i
 res his ship to be prize. An @icle of The Hague convention pro- 8Re es that the captor may bring a
 btured vessel into a neutral port, 3 be sequestered pending the de- M on of a prize court" The United # tes has declined to accept this # #icle, claiming that under it ports M this country could actually be % de the base of operations by one M lignrent against another
 German Auxiliary Cruiser. sA second report from Norfolk @a led that Lieutenant Berg declares M Collector Hamilton that the Ap- #n is now a German auxiliary # iser. This raises the question of K right of a commanding officer of
 $rize to change the character of a sHp while on the high seas.
 83efore any of these questions are
 ided, however, the ships passen- sss will be released and their dis SYition passed upon by immigration M Mhcrities. Prisoners of war aboard # be released.
 @ German Prince Arrives. M0ld Point Comfort, Va, Feb. D. RI nee Won Hatzfeldt, personal repre- #ltative of Count Won Bernstorff, @ German ambassador to the Unit a States, arrived here today to make Report to the German embassy. The @nco first conferred briefly With R German vice consul, L. Marshall #n Schilling and later went to the #pam for an interview with Liout. Mrge.
 MI am certain said the prince, NAat under the treaty of the United 9z z es with Prussia the Appam will @ declared a war prize and turned |#er to the German prize crew. The
 ssengers undoubtedly will bo iher- |8 q shortly" zr.. M Visitors Still Barred. sThe same strict barrier against Vis- 3##rs boarding the Appam which ob- @ned yesterday, was still in force # ay
 # t was expected that the status Of M vessel would be determined dur M the day and that she would bo Eyed at once to either Norfolk or S1Mexun~az--au-zz~m SM