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Show ;ha order to heave to, but fled and summoned hblp by rocket signals, did he German commander order the ?rew and passengers by signals and megaphones to leave the ship within :en minutes. lie actually allowed :hem twenty-three minutes' time and fired the torpedo only when suspicious sus-picious craft were hastening to the issistance of the Faiaba. ' Regarding the loss of life by the sinking of the British passenger steamer Lusltania, the German government gov-ernment has already expressed to the neutral governments concerned its keen regrets that citizens of their states lost their lives. "On this occasion the imperial government, gov-ernment, however, cannot escape the impression that certain important facts having a direct bearing on the sinking of the Lusitania may have escaped the attention of the American Ameri-can government. "In the interest of a clear and complete com-plete understanding, which is the aim of both governments, the imperial government considers it first neces-say neces-say to convince Itself that the information infor-mation accessible to both governments govern-ments about the facts of the case is complete and in accord. "The government of the United States proceeds on the assumption that the Lusitania could be regarded as an ordinary unarmed merchantman. merchant-man. The imperial government allows itself In this connection to point out that the Lusitania was one of the largest and fastest British merchant ships, built with government funds as an auxiliary cruiser, and carried car-ried expressly as such in the 'navy list' issued by the British admiralty, Says Lusitania Was Armed. "It is further known to the imperial government, from trustworthy reports from its agents and neutral passengers, passen-gers, that for a considerable time practically all the more valuable British Brit-ish merchantmen have been equipped with cannon and ammunition and other weapons and manned with persons per-sons who have been specially trained in serving guns. The Lusitania, too, according to information received here, had cannon aboard, which were mounted and concealed below decks. "The imperial government further has the honor to direct the particular attention of the American government govern-ment to the fact that the British admiralty ad-miralty in a confidential instruction issued in February, 1915, recommended recommend-ed its mercantile shipping not only to seek protection under neutral flags and distinguishing marks, but also, while thus disguised, to attack German submarines by ramming. As a special incitation to merchantmen to destroy submarines the British government also offered prizes and has already paid such rewards. "The imperial government, in view of these facts indubitably known to it, is unable to regard British merchantmen merchant-men in the zone of naval operations specified by the admiralty staff of the German navy as 'undefended.' German commanders consequently are no longer able to observe the customary regulations of the prize law, which they before always followed. Carried Ammunition. "Finally, the imperial government must point out particularly that the Lusitania on its last trip, as on earlier occasions, carried Canadian troops and war material, including no less than 5,400 cases of ammunition, intended for the destruction of the brave German Ger-man soldiers who are fulfilling their duty with self-sacrifices and devotion in the fatherland's service. "The German government believes that it was acting in justified self-defense self-defense in seeking -with all the means of warfare at its disposition to protect pro-tect the lives of its soldiers by destroying de-stroying ammunition intended for the enemy. Blames Ship Company. 'The British shipping company must have been aware of the danger to which the passengers aboard the Lusitania were exposed under these conditions. The company in embarking embark-ing them, notwithstanding this, attempted at-tempted deliberately to use the lives of American citizens as protection for the ammunition aboard and acted against the clear provisions of the American law, which expressly prohibits prohib-its the forwarding of passengers on ships carrying ammunition and provides pro-vides a penalty therefor. The company, com-pany, therefore, is wantonly guilty of the death of so many passengers. "There can be no doubt, according to the definite report of the submarine's subma-rine's commander, which is further confirmed by all other information, that the quick sinking of the Lusitania Lusi-tania is primarily attributable to the explosion of the ammunition shipment caused by a torpedo. The Lusitania's passengers would otherwise, in all human hu-man probability, have been saved. "The imperial government considers consid-ers the above mentioned facts important import-ant enough to recommend them to the attentive examination of the Amer-ican Amer-ican government. No Final Decision. "The imperial government, while withholding its final decision on the demands advanced in connection with the sinking of the Lusitania until receipt re-ceipt of an answer from the American Ameri-can government, feels impelled, in conclusion, to recall here and now that it took cognizance with satisfaction satisfac-tion of the mediatory proposals submitted sub-mitted by the United States government govern-ment to Berlin and London as a basis for a modus vivendi for conducting the maritime warfare between Germany Ger-many and Great Britain. The imperial impe-rial government by its readiness to enter upon a discussion of these proposals pro-posals then demonstrated its good intentions in-tentions in ample fashion. The realization reali-zation of these proposals was defeated, as is well known, by the declinatory attitude of the British government. "The undersigned takes occasion e(c-" JAGOW." GERMANY DEFENDS ! SINKING LUSITANIA j i DECLARES IT WAS AN ACT OF SELF DEFENSE TO PROTECT i LIVES OF HER SOLBIERS. ' Berlin Note Says Germany Has No Intention to Submit Neutral Ships . In the War Zone to Attacks by Submarines. Washington. Germany's reply to the American note concerning the sinking of the Lusitania with a loss of more than 100 American lives, has produced a feeling of profound disappointment disap-pointment here. Germany withholds Its final decision on the demands advanced by the United Unit-ed States government in connection with the sinking of the Lusitania, until un-til the receipt of an answer from the United States to the note which Herr von Jagow, the foreign minister, has delivered to Ambassador Gerard in reply re-ply to the American note receivedby the German government on May 15. In Its reply the German government declares that it is not its intention to submit neutral ships in the war zone, which are guilty of no hostile acts, to attacks by submarines or aeroplanes; that It is investigating the circumstances circum-stances in connection w,ith the attacks on the American steamers Cushing and Gulflight, and that in all cases where neutral vessels, through no fault of their own, have been damaged, dam-aged, Germany will pay indemnification. indemnifica-tion. The reply urges that In the case of the Lusitania, which Germany alleges was armed and carried large stores of war munitions, it was 'acting in Justified self-defense in seeking with all the means of warfare at its disposition dis-position to protect the lives of its soldiers sol-diers by destroying ammunition intended in-tended for the enemy." The German government recalls the proposals submitted by the United States government to Berlin and London, Lon-don, designed to end the submarine warfare and the shutting out of food supplies from Germany, which, it declares, de-clares, failed of their purpose because be-cause of the refusal of the British government to agree to them. President Wilson had retired early Sunday night, before the text arrived, but from a reading of the summary published Sunday and Ambassador Gerard's forecasts he had an accurate Impression of what it contained. Secretary Sec-retary Bryan would make no comment. com-ment. Other cabinet officers were reticent, re-ticent, but there was little concealment conceal-ment anywhere that the answer from Berlin had produced a grave situation In the relations between the United States and Germany. Just what course of action the United States will pursue pur-sue ia undetermined. The following is the text of the German note: "The undersigned has the honor to submit to Ambassador Gerard the following fol-lowing answer to the communication of May 15 regarding the injury to American interests through German submarine warfare: "The imperial government has subjected sub-jected the communication of the American government to a thorough investigation. It entertains also a keen wish to co-operate in a frank and friendly way in clearing up a possible pos-sible misunderstanding which may have arisen in the relations between the two governments through the events mentioned by the American government. Regarding, firstly, the cases of the American steamers Cushing Cush-ing and Gulflight. The American embassy em-bassy has already been informed that the German government has no intention in-tention of submitting neutral ships in the war zone, which are guilty of no hostile acts, to attacks by a submarine sub-marine or submarines, or aviators. On the contrary, the German forces have repeatedly been instructed most specifically speci-fically to avoid attacks on such ships. Sees Culpable Behavior, "If neutral ships in recent months have suffered through the German submarine warfare, owing to mistakes in identification, it is a question only of quite isolated and exceptional cases which can be attributed to the British Brit-ish government's abuse of flags, together to-gether with the suspicious or culpable behavior of the masters of the ships. "The German government, in all cases in which it has been shown by its investigations that a neutral ship, not itself at fault, was damaged by German submarines or aviators, has expressed regret over the unfortunate accident, and. if justified by conditions, condi-tions, has offered indemnification. "The cases of the Cushing and the Gulflight will be treated on the same principles. An investigation of both cases is in progress, the result of which will presently be communicated communi-cated to the embassy. The investigation investiga-tion can. if necessary, be supplemented supplement-ed by an international call on the international in-ternational commission of inquiry as provided by Article III of The Hague agreement of October IS. 1907. "When sinking the British steamer Faiaba. the commander of the German Ger-man submarine had the intention of allowing the passengers and crew a full opportunity for a safe escape. Only when the master did not obey |