New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-22
Britain Arraigns
German Sinking
Of Hospital Ships
[Staf Correspondence

ish government. has jus. a1blishs" TIE
correspondence with the German gov
eminent regarding the alleged misuse
Of British hospital ships. together Win
the evidence furnished by the German
authorities and the British govern
ment's continents on this evidence. a
memorandum By the British Foreign
Office accompanies the correspondence
and, as received at an Entente EN-
bassy to-day, is in part as follows:
ain replying to the accusations
Trough. forward by the German gov
eminent, his majesty's government de-
sire, before all. to call attention 70
the remarkable fact that German SUD-
marines and other wsrships have never
once exercised the right of inspecting
British hospital ships, which is gwen
IN them by Article Of the Hague
Convention for the application OF the
nrinciples of the Geneva Convention
N maritime warfare. So far as can
he ascertsined, they have only once
stopped British hospital ship long
enough TO examine her papers. TINS
occurred on the 23d Of February, 1917
when the hospital ship Dunluce castle
xas stopped by a German submarine
i IN. eastern Mediterranean; her pa
ners were found to be in order ana
the vessel was allowed to proceed
az. might have been expected that
the German government, seing that
they had reports in their possession
which they profess to regard as reli-
able, pointing to the misuse OF bri''s"
bospital ships, would not have COM
pletely neglected the obvious and wei
recognized method Of inspection 1or 'ne
nurpose OF verifying their suspicious
t,,t.sd they have preferred to appeal
tor srnnort to their charges to con-
;ectural statements OF persons VINO
nev.r had an opportunity OF ascer-
t,irins whether there was any real
foundation for their assumptions ana
on this Aimsy basis, without makins
an. attempt 10 discover the value OF ene
basrsav evidence which they mad col
lectad or giving his majesty's govern
rnant any opportunity of rebuttlng thelr
aiIeoations, they proceeded TO the eX-
irene step of ruthlessly attacking IN
nocent hospital ships engaged IN their :
humane task Of serving the SICK ana
The Charges Made
"Uis Maiesty's government has now
made inquiry into the allegations con-
ta;nod in the German memoranda, SO
fsr "a thew concern British hospital
sh;n, and 80 far as the charges MADE
.re mt in such vague terms as TO pre-
clude any possibility OF investigating
their foundation. Generally, the charges
group themselves under four neaus'
viz:
T--Alleged excessive number Of hos
nital ships in relation to the Gailipol'
~. Changes in the list Of hospital
ships, with supposed intention TO de-
ceive.
"s. Alleged transport of munitions.
az. Alleged transport OF troops.
As 10 a the number OF hospital
ships employed was not excessive nav
ing regard 20 the number OF lnvands
ia be evacuated from Gallipoli. On
the contrary, the accommodations on
hospital ships proved TO DC inadequate
to meet requirements. and 1t was neces-
sary TO employ ordinary transports in
addition for the conveyance CT sick and
wounded. These transports were, of
course, not protected b. the Hague con
vention, did not fly the Red Cross flag
and were not fitted out as hospital
ships. ,.,
a hospital ship, once notified, must re-
main In hospital service for the dura-
ton of the war. 1t is perfectly true
that certain ships were notified as
hospital ships and later on were re-
moved from the list. This was due TO
alterations in the requirements for
various classes Of tonnage, caused by
the sinkings of ships b. submarines
and TO changes in the military situa'
ton.
"As to 90 and (4) alleged convey
ence Of munitions and troops, to which
nearly all the evidence relates. de
tailed examination of the particular
instances alleged is given below. 1t
may, however, be stated at once that
British hospital ships nave never been
used for the carriage Of munitions OF
war or of combatant troops. Red
Cross stores and personnel Of the
Royal Army Medical Corps who ars
protected by the Geneva Convention
have been embarked. and it appears
probable that the German government
/ have been misled by the fallscious de-
| auctions of their witnesses. who APP
parently were unable TO verify theit
assumption that cases Of Red Cross
stores were really munitions Of war
and bodies of the Royal Army Medical
Corps in khaki uniform detachments
! of combatant troops"