AMERICA AND GERMANY

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 1 June 1915, Page 5

AMERICA AND GERMANY

REPLY TO UNITED STATES.

GERMANY PLEADS JUSTIFICA-

TION

LUSITANIA DESCRIBED AS AUXILIARY CRUISER.'

INVESTIGATION OF OTHER CASES

PROMISED.

AMSTERDAM, May 31. Germany's Note to America says that the Lusitania was a big auxiliary | cruiser. Trustworthy reports from German officials and neutral passengers showed that she had guns concealed under her deck and carried trained, gunners. The British Admiralty last February advised that merchantmen w,ould ram submarines, therefore the former were not undefended. German commanders could not longer observe the rules concerning naval prizes. Also, among her contents the Lusitania carried Canadian troops and war material. Germany was justified in destroying the enemy's munitions in order to protect her own soldiers.

The Lusitania acted against the American law forbidding passengers to travel in ships carrying explosives, which was the principal cause of the sinking of the vessel. Under other circumstances the passengers would probably have been savM. GenSkny therefore reserves her final declaration until America has carefully studied the foregoing facts.

Germany promises to investigate the Gulf Light and Gushing cases, which may be supplemented by an international commission, according to the Hague Convention. In the Falaba case twenty-three minutes elapsed be^ fore the torpedo .was fired, after the Falaba had tried to elude capture and suspicious vessels were seen approaching. ; ' •