Oslo, Nov. 5. "Te interview members of the crew aboard the American freighter City of Flint, released two days ago from German custody, Mrs. F. J. Harriman, American envoy to Norway, left tonight for Bergen, where the ship is berthed and where she is expected to stay for some days pending a decision on her future movements in making a run for British: coasts er the United States. An unconfirmed report claimed tonight that the ship was being unloaded.
"Without loss of time. Norway today replied rejecting the German protest forwarded yesterday against liberation of the American freighter. "The contents of the Note were not published this evening but the Note itself was understood to have been handed over to the German Charge d'Affaires here.
A long Statement on Norway's decision to set free the City of Flint was published today by the Foreign Ministry, which explained its action on the basis of international law and an agreement with Germany herself.
"When the City of Flint arrived at Tromso on October 20," the Foreign Ministry said, "she was authorised to remain in port 24 hours. The following day she therefore put out for Murmansk. After an exchange of communications with the German Charge d'Affaires, the Foreign Ministry adopted Germany's point of view that there was no limit to the length of time that a ship "war prize" could navigate in neutral territorial waters as long as she did not stop in any port.
"On October 30, the City of Flint returned to Tromso, but without stopping, and to avoid any incidents, a Norwegian warship was instructed to accompany her during her voyage in Norwegian waters. The City of Flint next stopped south of Bergen and the captain of the German crew reported that one of his men was ill He requested permission to stop at Haugesund to take on a physician.
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