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Show GERMANY RACKS UP WAR ZONEJEREE REPLIES TO THE PROTEST OF THE UNITED STATES IN FRIENDLY LANGUAGE. Announcement is Made That Mines Will be Laid by Germany in the Waters Surrounding Great Britain and Ireland. Washington. Germany's reply to the American note of "warning against any attacks on American vessels or i lives in the new sea zones of war has served to increase rather than to diminish di-minish the concern of officials of the United States government over possible pos-sible complications, though the friendly friend-ly tone of the communication made a favorable impression and gave some hope that an understanding for the protection of neutrals might yet be obtained. Officials are apprehensive over the formal statement in the note that Germany disclaimed all responsibility for what might happen to neutral vessels ves-sels venturing in the danger areas. The additional warning, too, that mines would be laid by Germany in the waters surrounding Great Britain and Ireland was regarded by them not only as menacing to ships carrying legitimate le-gitimate cargoes, but as likely to add further to the interruptions which American commerce has suffered since the outbreak of the war. The suggestion in the German note that convoys of American warships should accompany American merchantmen mer-chantmen was looked upon by officials as impractical because it would impose im-pose an obligation on the United States to guarantee the character of cargoes of outgoing vessels, a requirement require-ment not covered by any domestic law. |