THE MEW HUN PIRATE DECREE.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2694, 14 February 1916, Page 5

THE MEW HUN PIRATE DECREE.

MEMORANDUM TO "NEUTRALS A-WAR-ON PEACEFUL MERCHANTMEN ■ ■ Bj^Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright r. ~ , , • , , Berlin, February 11. A Alemnrainium has been handed by Germany to'neutrals regarding the tecatment-of armed merchantmen.. It states that Britain, prior to the var ' gave shipowners, guns, ammunition personnel, and the necessary drilling of jgnn crews. It is argued that such ships maintain the character of peaceful merchantmen while they carry aims solely for defence.' In accordance therepith, the Ambassador at Washington, on August 25, 1914, gave Americans iar-reaclmtg assurances that British merchantmen would never fire unless first attacked On the other hand, Britain has armed vessels under other flaas. i ne f? i as vessels. The German Government does not doubt that merchantmen equipped with guns acquire a warlike character whether the guns serve for defence or attack; also that such activity is contrary to tho law of nations. Germany, However,. takes into consideration the contrary- conception, -by treating, the crews as belligerents, not as pirates. Some neutrals nave concurred- with the British views; others havo lield that armed •meTCtent ships are really war vessels. Reports f TOm German naval men show tlrat British merchantmen have not only been offering armed resistance, but even attack Germans Tinder the repeated- use of false colurs. Britain's Allies axe copying Britain. s example. The British Admiralty, in a ./Memorandum, . 'instpcts merchantmen to wag© war mercilessly on German submarines, without awaitmg warlike action, whenever and wherever they meet the submarines. , ihe Atemorandinn concludes: "In view of the circumstances, onemy merchantmen, after a short interval in the interest of neutrals, will be treated as belligerents. Gennany has notified neutrals in order that - they mav . 10 entrustm S their persons and property to armed An appendix enumerates:;nineteen oases of merchantmen which attacked German submarines. . " AvPIITFUL MANOEUVRE J * m, ■ . Paris, February TL Thsmewspaper "Le Matin, commenting on the new German threat to , treat armed_ merchantmen as belligerents, says that when submarines torpedoed the iiusitama, and many other unarmed vessels, the Germans did not troiible themselves to makfc certain first .whether or not the vessels were armed'. Hence the paper) jao importance should be attached to the latest announcement which is a pitiful manoeuvre intended to mask the monstrous illegality of Ger-many's'-barbarism. *= J THE BLOCKADE AND AMERICA SPEOMIi.MISSION-OF ENLIGHTENMENT SUGGESTED. for J* s ?* tho sending of vfscwnt was 4 4 mbruss^ do J r m America, as a special envoy to Washington, with a vkw to placing m truer perspective the whole problem of sea on°Wl g ' 16 mOSt effeotllal weapon against unbridled tyranny riarfdfo Mr. Balfour,, First Lord of the-Mminilty, AUSTRIA HOISTS THE PIRATE FLAG CRec. February-13, 5.5 p.m.) < A telegram from Vienna states that Austria has S !sktiwT'Y S&SS**-** ih °' Geman Not 6 tho treatment Q^mned.'.merTHE MYSTERY OF THE MOEWE . . ADMIRALS COMMENT'ON THE RAIDER. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) .(Sec. February 12, 5.20 p.m.) Chan^ r ofS : - P<>SS k' tt lo "Dresdoner Allies' ear activitv 1 Moo ~? - Ho .says: "The moment for the start of that thn Po "roll-chosen. The British Fleet has taken it for granted or ?'- gU been finaUy banished from the sea, denoefor tlfo I<!s ships could sail in absolute security. This rosy confiwf Ll !ost ' a taring of freights and insurour riirWe 0 ? there will cilSUo a colossal hunt for our seagull, and perhaps °, F . w ap ° ,ir ° " ot but if, before she is sent triw." t«^,i r i. 00mpo i ° accep , in » neutral harbour, she oonn™>« ™ll S' "Tu 0 " m 1, 10 commerce, let her in Heaverf's fortnna imilJ bottom. She will at least have served her purpose. Jlt«y lortnna smile-on her darinc camma.i:de,. «w) oilliuit cj'p.wJ'