The British Note points out that the "German naval authorities had destroyed, without, previous warning, the vessels Yorkshire, Dunbar Castle, Simon Boliver and Terukuni Maru, all of which were known to be earrying malls to or from neutral countries, with as little regard for the safety of neutral correspondence as for the lives of inoffensive passengers and crew.
Washington, Jan. 21.
The British reply was made pubile hare yesterday. The State Department yesterday indicated there is no change in the American attitude toward interference with United States mails as a result of Britaie's reply. I was understood that the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, regards the British action as a clear' violation of the Hague convention. The British flatly rejected Mr. Hull's Interpretation' of the Hague Convention and said plainly that they would con-Yinue examining mail—United Press. ills learned that in the carly hours of yesterday morning, the Germans fade a somewhat important attack West of the Vosges mountains, which was preceded by heavy artillery pre. aration and accompanied by steady Gring of heavy guns. The Germans were repulsed with diMeulty by the French troops who used both automatic arms and artillery units. Retreating hurriedly, some of the German soldiers lost their way. They were found later several miles, from the scene of action and captured.
Aerial activity was somewhat reduced yesterday owing to unfavourable atmospheric conditions. However, German plane succeeded in flying lover western France while two French planes flew over the south of Ger-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.