etary Bryan has
cabled to Ambassador Gerard, asking whether the action of the German
Government in placing the William P. Frye case in a prize court is the
reply to the American note stating that the United States did not
regard prize court proceedings with favor.

May 21--Recent orders from the British Government bring up to
$100,000,000 the total contracts for munitions of war given to the
Bethlehem Steel Company since hostilities began.

May 22--The French Line has chartered thirty-seven freight steamships
to aid in transporting the huge quantities of munitions of war waiting
shipment from the United States to the allied countries.

May 24--Italy asks the United States to take over Italian diplomatic
affairs at Vienna, and the United States consents; Germany, through
Ambassador Gerard, explains that her action of sending the William P.
Frye case to a prize court is not intended as an answer to the
American note on the matter, but is a necessary procedure under German
law.

May 25--United States issues a proclamation of neutrality, under date
of May 24, covering the entry of Italy into the war.

May 29--Federal Court at Milwaukee dismisses the action brought by
General Samuel Pearson, former Boer commander, in which he sought to
restrain the Allis-Chalmers Company and others from manufacturing
shrapnel shells, which, it was alleged, were being shipped to the
Allies; the court holds that the relief sought by the plaintiff is
political rather than legal.

June 2--The Allies have assured the State Department that Dr. Dernburg
will be given safe conduct if he wishes to return to Germany.

June 4--Germany in a note expresses regret for the torpedoing of the
Gulflight, which is stated to have been due to a mistake, and offers
to pay for the damage.

June 5--German war bonds are being sold in this country, and
German-Americans are buying them readily.

June 8--There are persistent rumors that German interests are trying
to buy American ammunition factories so as to stop shipments to the
Allies.

June 10--In a new note on the William P. Frye case Germany insists
that the case go before a prize court, and puts forth the contention
that she has the right to destroy any American ship carrying
contraband, the contention being based on the American-Prussian Treaty
of 1799.

June 12--Dr. Dernburg sails for Bergen on the Norwegian America liner
Bergensfjord.

RELIEF.

May 15--A national Polish relief association