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Show liifliT" IKE REPARATION UNITED STATES WILL DEMAND FULL PAY FOR SINKING OF AMERICAN VESSEL. Believed by Government Officials That the German Government Will Admit Error of Naval Commander Comman-der and Pay Damages. Washington. Unless the German government voluntarily offers to make restitution for the destruction of the American ship William P. Frye, sunk by the converted cruiser Prinz Eitel Freidrich in the South Atlantic, and expresses regret for the occurrence, strong protest will be made by the United States with a request for reparation. re-paration. Probably no announcements concerning con-cerning the case will be made, it was said by high officials, until an investigation inves-tigation of all the facts has been completed. com-pleted. President Wilson said on Thursday that a searching inquiry-would inquiry-would be conducted. Officials were unanimous in their opinion and it was shared largely by diplomats that the commander of the Prinz Eitel had no right to send the Frye to the bottom. It was considered consid-ered probable by officials that the German Ger-man government would admit the error er-ror of the navi commander and agree to make the usual reparation. Some officials thought sufficient amends, after af-ter the payment of damages, would be the court-martialing of the German officer. It was made clear at the state department de-partment that whatever action would be taken as a result of the sinking of the Frye would be entirely disassociated disasso-ciated from the questions arising out of the entry into an American port of th,e Prinz Eitel desiring time for repairs. re-pairs. The vessel could therefore depart, de-part, leaving the question raised by the destruction of the American ship to be settled through diplomatic channels. |