rliest days of its existence, the Imperial Government will always be
ready to do all it can during the present war also to prevent the
jeopardizing of lives of American citizens.

The Imperial Government, therefore, repeats the assurances that
American ships will not be hindered in the prosecution of legitimate
shipping and the lives of American citizens in neutral vessels shall
not be placed in jeopardy.

In order to exclude any unforeseen dangers to American passenger
steamers, made possible in view of the conduct of maritime war by
Germany's adversaries, German submarines will be instructed to permit
the free and safe passage of such passenger steamers when made
recognizable by special markings and notified a reasonable time in
advance. The Imperial Government, however, confidently hopes that the
American Government will assume to guarantee that these vessels have
no contraband on board, details of arrangements for the unhampered
passage of these vessels to be agreed upon by the naval authorities of
both sides.

In order to furnish adequate facilities for travel across the
Atlantic for American citizens, the German Government submits for
consideration a proposal to increase the number of available steamers
by installing in passenger service a reasonable number of neutral
steamers under the American flag, the exact number to be agreed upon
under the same condition as the above-mentioned American steamers.

The Imperial Government believes it can assume that in this manner
adequate facilities for travel across the Atlantic Ocean can be
afforded American citizens. There would, therefore, appear to be no
compelling necessity for American citizens to travel to Europe in time
of war on ships carrying an enemy flag. In particular the Imperial
Government is unable to admit that American citizens can protect an
enemy ship through the mere fact of their presence on board.

Germany merely followed England's example when she declared part of
the high seas an area of war. Consequently, accidents suffered by
neutrals on enemy ships in this area of war cannot well be judged
differently from accidents to which neutrals are at all times exposed
at the seat of war on land, when they betake themselves into dangerous
localities in spite of previous warnings. If, however, it should not
be possible for the American Government to acquire an adequate number
of neutral passenger steamers, the Imperial Government is prepared to
interpos