| Show 1 SH I 1 P CARRYING na contraband CARGO OF FLAX DESTROYED BY GERMANS OFF ORKNEY ISLAND commander of steamer given ample warning and crew permitted to collect their effects and take them aboard te tf craft washington a an american ship haa has been sunk by it german submarine the vestel aking sunk in bight of land and all of the crew a saved the ves vessel mel sent to the bottom v was as the bee Leel lasaw ataw carrying ca a cargo of tax which Is 1 regarded by the germans as contraband th ne vessel was sunk of the orkney island destruction 0 of the american ship lec naw by a german drew sharply to the attention lop fl ef rials of the united states government monday the fact that germany was Inid insisting sting on her lier own interpretation of the prussian american treaty of 1828 1823 in disregard of two american notes on the subject la in three instances of american ships destroyed or damaged the gulf light the nebraskan and the william P frye germany has agreed to pay damages and in tho the last case the bar ila government took the po phaltion altIon that it had not violated vioa ted the treaty cf 1828 but bad had exercised a right given her by inference from the language of pact officials ot of the washington govern ment were surprised at destruction of the leelanau Leel anaw but beyond adding an other incident to the already strained relations between the two goi governments tern there was no indication that the case would lead to a new turn in the general situation only meager accounts of the de st of the Leel leelanau anaw have been received here bere but it Is clear that the submarine gave the commander of the steamer ample warning even permit ting the crew to collect part of their effects before taking them aboard the underwater craft which then through the combined use of shell fire and a torpedo sent the vessel to the bottom the tact fact that the crey of the ves eel waru eru saved caused a feeling of relief reller in official quarters but there were ciany many evidences of apprehension that if germany continues to promise rayment yet destroys more american ship ships a new situation might be crat ed which would require further warning to the berlin government the tact fact that the leelanau Leel anaw carried a cargo of flay declared absolute con by Germa germany nr on april 18 does not alter the view of the united states government that the confra contra band might have been removed i nd ad the vessel spared under the gener genet al rule rules of international law the destruction st ot of ft a neutral vessel carrying contraband was not admitted until the famous knight commander case in the fusao japanese war the araton of london in 1909 embodied the prin ciple as applicable la in extreme cases but stipulated that thit passengers and crow must be tran transferred barred to a place of safety and the case itself huer lilter pot sent to a prize court for de tion ae as to the legality of the act |
