ntention of sinking
British merchant vessels at sight by torpedoes
without giving any opportunity of making any
provisions for saving the lives of noncombatant
crews and passengers. It was in consequence of
this threat that the _Lusitania_ raised the
United States flag on her inward voyage and on
her subsequent outward voyage. A request was
made by the United States passengers who were
embarking on board her that the United States
flag should be hoisted, presumably to insure
their safety."

The British Ambassador, the Hon. Cecil Spring-Rice, on March 1, 1915,
in a communication to the American Secretary of State regarding an
economic blockade of Germany, stated in reference to the German
proclamation of February 4:

[Sidenote: British statement on the submarine blockade.]

"Germany has declared that the English Channel,
the north and west coasts of France, and the
waters around the British Isles are a war area
and has officially notified that all enemy
ships found in that area will be destroyed, and
that neutral vessels may be exposed to danger.
This is in effect a claim to torpedo at sight,
without regard to the safety of the crew or
passengers, any merchant vessel under any flag.
As it is not in the power of the German
Admiralty to maintain any surface craft in
these waters, this attack can only be delivered
by submarine agency."

[Sidenote: Submarines sink merchant ships.]

Beginning with the 30th of January, 1915, and prior to the sinking of
the _Lusitania_ on May 7, 1915, German submarines attacked and seemed to
have sunk twenty merchant and passenger ships within about 100 miles of
the usual course of the _Lusitania_, chased two other vessels which
escaped, and damaged still another.

It will be noted that nothing is stated in the German memorandum as to
sinking enemy merchant vessels without warning, but, on the contrary,
the implication is that settled international law as to visit and search
and an opportunity for the lives of passengers to be safeguarded will be
obeyed, "although it may not always be possible to avert the dangers
which may menace persons and merchandise."

As a result of this submarine activity, the _Lusitania_ on its voyages
from New York to Liverpool, beginning with that of January 30, 1915