Show 4 germany OFFERS X 11 TO HL T F L A WILL BE instructed NOT TO FIRE UPON AMERI CAN PASSENGER VESSELS f P plan Is 1 Pr to allow a reasonable reabon number of neutral steamers St samer to ue use star stars and stripes for their protection berlin germanys otter embodied in tho reply to the united states noto regarding the sinking of the lu itania and submarine warfare which waa was doll delivered vered to james W gerard the ambassador amba esador on july 9 ie Is first mat reiterated assurance aae urance that american ta ship ships engaged in leglU legitimate mam trade will not bo be interfered with nor the lives of americans Amer leans upon neutral ships be endangered second that german submarines will be instructed to allow american passenger ships to pass freely ana sali amy ay germany entertaining la ja re 4 turn the confident hope that the american amerlean ican government will see that these t hie do not carry contraband such bidd to 0 be provided with distinguish t ins ing marke and their an bounced a realon time in ad vance 1 the same me privilege Is extended to reasonable number of neutral pas enger ships under the american flag end pud should the number of ships thus available for passenger service prove inadequate germany is willing to permit america to place four hostile pas steamers atea under the american flag to pl between north amer f lea ica and europe under the same o adt eions the text of tho german note fol iowa lows berlin july IL 8 the undersigned has the honor to make the following reply to his ex cel lency ambassador gerard to the note nota of the ultimo ret the impair ment of american interests by the german submarine war the Im imperial imp erlat government learned with faction I 1 from the note how earnestly the gov t of the united states Is concerned t in seeing the principles of humanity realized in the present war also this appeal finds ready echo in germany and the imperial govern janent ment 1 Is quite willing to permit its statements and decolon deat dor in the present case to be governed by the prin of humanity just as it has bus done 1 ways I 1 recalls pant past agreements the he imperial welcomed with gratitude when the american government in the note of may blay 16 15 it recalled that germany bad always permitted itself to be governed by the principles of progress and hu rn 1 I 11 y in dealing with the aw ot of war since the tua tim when frederick the great negotiated with john ohn adams benjamin frankin Fra tiLlin and thomas jefferson Jeff ereon the treaty of friend hip ship and commerce of at september 9 1785 between prussia and the lie tic of the west german and american statesmen have in fact always stood together in the struggle for the freedom ot at the seas and for the protection ot of peaceable trade in the international proceedings which since have been conducted for the regulation of the laws of maritime war nar germany and america have jointly advocated thi a abol oils lehment ave ment principles of the especially right of capture at sea and the protection of the interests of neutral neutrals I 1 mindful of neutral interests Inte reeta eveir at the beginning of 0 the present 1 war the german government immediately declared its willingness to ratify the declaration of london and ow k thereby subject itself in the use of its naval forces to all the provided therein in favor of neutrals neutral germany likewise has been always tenacious of the principle that war should be conducted albat aba armed and organized forces of an enemy country but that the enemy civilian population be spared aa as far as possible from the measures of war the imperial government cher ashes the definite hope that some way will be found when peace ie Is concluded or perhaps earlier to regulate the law of maritime war in a mann ir guaranteeing the freedom of the seas and will welcome it with gratitude ind matis satisfaction factIon tt it it can work hand in hand with the american government ament on that occasion paralyze german traffic if in the present war the principle principles which should be the ideal of the future have been traversed more and more the longer its duration the german government br jo guilt therein it ie in known to iho the american government how adversaries by completely paralyzing peaceful traffic between G grimany many and neutral coan conn tries have aimed from the very verr bo be glit ginning ning ani with increasing lack of PI pt the he not igo much of the armed forces as the life of the offman nation repudiating in doing bo to all the rules of international law and disregarding all the rights of neutrals on november 3 1914 england declared the north eca sea a war area and by planting poorly anchored mines and by the stoppage and capture of vessels made passage extremely dan berous and difficult for neutral ehte ins ing so by that actually blockading neutral coasts and porta ports contrary to all int international law LOUR long before the begin beguiling Ling of submarine wr wrT faro eng land practically completely intercept ed legitimate neutral navigation to germana also thus germany waa driven to a submarine war ou trade trado Sub submarine marina war forced arced on november 14 1914 the english premier decla declared in the house of corn coin men mons that it vas aa one of principal talks taska to prevent food tor for the german population from reaching germany via neutral parta since march 1 england has been taking from neu aral ships without further formality all merchandise proceeding to oer ger many as an well as all merchandise corn cam ing from germany even when neutral property just as its it was also with the boers doers the german people la Is now to be given the choice of perishing from starvation with ite its women and children or of relinquishing its independence pen pend dence enco while our enemies thus loudly and openly proclaimed war without mercy until our ettor destruction we were conducting wr in self defense tor for our national tAi stence and for the sake of peace of an assured permanency we have been obliged to adopt a submarine warfare to meet the declared intentions tent ions of our cur enemies and the method ot of warfare adopted by them in contravention of international law fighting for existence Exie tence with all its effort efforts in principle to protect life and property proper tr from damage 4 aa as much as possible the german government recognized unreservedly edly in its memorandum of feb cuiry 4 tha the interest interests of 0 neutrals might buffer suffer from the submarine warfare however the american government will also understand and ampro date elate that in the I 1 fiset for existence which has been forced upon germany by its adver adversaries aries and announced by them ic it Is the sacred duty of the im aerial government to do all within its power to protect and save the lives of german subjects it if the imperial government were derelict in these its duties it would be guilty before god and history of the violation of those principles of highest humanity which are the foundation ot at every national existence case of lusitania the case of the lusitania shows with horrible clearness to what deop ard izing of human lives the manner of conducting war employed by our ad versalles ver sarles leads in the most direct contradiction of international law all distinction between merchantmen and war vessels have been by the order to british merchantmen to arm themselves and to ram rines and the promise of rewards and neutrals who nse mer chantlen chant men as travelers thereby have been exposed in an increasing degree to all the dingers of war if the commander com roAnder of the german submarine which destroyed the lual lust tania tanta had caused the crew and passengers to ta tabe ate to the boats before firing a torpedo this would have meant the cure sure destruction of his own vessel after the experiences in sinking much smaller and fesq 1 sea seaworthy Northy vessels it was to be expected that it mighty ship like the Lurl Luri tania tanta would remain above water ion lop enough even after the torpedoing to permit passenger passengers to enter the ships boats circumstances cum stances of ot a very peculiar kind especially the presence on board of ot large quantities of highly explosive materials defeated this expectation in addition it may be pointed out that it if the had been spared thousands of cases of munitions would hare have been sent to germanys enemies nd kad thereby thousands of german mothers and children robbed of at bread winners will not hinder american ship ships la in the spirit ot of friendship where with the german nation has been im baad towards the union and its in habitant habitants since the earliest day days of 0 its existence esl eI stence the imperial government will always be ready to do all it ca can n during the present war also to prevent ano jeopardizing of lives of american citizens the imperial government therefore repeats the assurances that american ships will not be hindered in the prosecution of legitimate ship ping and the lives of american citi zens in neutral vessels shall not oe ce placed in jeopardy in order to exclude any unforeseen dangers to american passenger st eames made possible in view of the c luct of maritime war by germanys adversaries german rider will be instructed to permit the tree and safe passage of arch passenger pas steam era when mado made recognizably by special markings and notified a reason rea able time in advance the imperial impel ial government however confidently hopes that the american will assume to guarantee that theo vessels have no contraband on board details of arrangement for the uie unhampered passage of at these vessels to be agreed upon by the naval authorities I 1 of both aides sides 1 can Iner increase number cf of ships in order to furnish adequate bacill ties for travel across the atlantic for american ame acan cuzzens cUi zens the german government ern meni submits tor for consideration a I 1 proposal to increase the number of I 1 available sU st camere simers by installing Ina talling in passenger bervice a reasonable number of neutral steamers ste amera under the american flag the exact number to be agreed upon under the tho same saino condition as the prove mentioned american trainers the Imper imperial lai government bellewes bel lerps leyes it cut assume that in this manner adequate facilities for travel across the 1118 atlantic ocean can be afforded american citizens there would therefore appear to be no compelling compell com pelline lne necessity for american citizens to travel to europe in time of at war on ships carrying an enemy flag in par nicular the imperial government ts un able to admit that amerian 1 citizens can protect an enemy ship through the mere fact of their presence on boand would allow four enemy ship ships germany merely followed eng lands example when ehe she declared part of the high sea an area ot of war consequently accidents suffered by neutrals on enemy ships in an area of war cannot well be judged differ antly from accidents to which nen are til all times exposed at the seat of war on land when they betake themselves into dangerous localities in spite of previous warnings if however 4 it t should not be possible for the A american government to require an rd adequate equate number of neutral pax a steamers the imperial gov eminent Is I 1 prepared to interpose no objection to the placing under the american flag by the american gov of four enemy passenger steamers for passenger traffic be tween north america and england assurances of tree free and safe passage for american passenger steamers identical to these for marly hostile cassenger rae ras steamers hopee hopes for good offices the president preal dent of 0 the united states as declared hie his readiness in a way vay deserving of thanks to communicate and suggest proposals to the goy government err of great britain with reference to the alteration ot of marine war the imperial government will always be glad to make use ot of the good offices ot of the president and hopes that hia his efforts in the present case ae at well as in the direction of at the lofty ideal of the freedom of the seas will lead to an understanding the undersigned requests the am cassador bas to bring the above to the knowledge of the american colern ment and avail himself of the opportunity to anew to his excellency the tile assurances cf his moat most distinguished consideration sigred goed Si VON TON JAGOW 1 |