London, Feb. 24.
London naval circles do not consider that Germany's latest attempt to persuade the world of her strict regard for international law and, on the cther hand, Britain's constant disregard for it, will be found by any unbiassed critic to be very impressive when confronted by the facts.
The Germen wireless station at Zeesen made five accusations against Britain attacking German merchantmen in neutral waters.
1. The Franken was reported stopped by a British military aeroplane on September 6 within 1% miles off the coast of Sumatra.
2. The Bertha Fischer was reported stopped on November 20 by a British auxiliary cruiser 1% miles from Iceland, as result of which she scuttled herself.
3. The Arawka was allegedly attacked by a British cruiser on December 19 within three miles off the Florida coast.
4. The Glucksberg is said to have been approached by a British warship in Spanish waters near Cadiz om December 26.
5, The Wakama was attacked in Brazilian territorial waters, and the crew fired upon after they had taken to boats.
As the result of careful investigation of these charges by H. M. Government it is now possible officially to state the true facts.
The Franken was sighted well outside Dutch territorial waters near Padang by an aeroplane from one of His Majesty's ships operating in these seas. Signals were made to her to stop. The Franken did not stop, but no further action was taken by the aeroplane.
There was no reason for the scuttling of the Bertha Fischer except that scuttling seems to have become one of the traditions both of the German navy and mercantile marine. AN oficers and crew were picked up by one of His Majesty's ships, and are now prisoners of war, The Arawka was well out side American territorial waters when she was located by one of His Majesly's ships. When she reached territorial waters, the chase was immediately broken off and she took refuge at the port of Everglades, Florida.
The Glucksberg was sighted by a British destroyer when she was seven miles from the Spanish coast—four miles outside territorial waters—and the destroyer was well to seaward of the German ship. As soon as sighted Glucksberg dashed for the coast. The ship was abandoned and left to run ashore, pilotless and with her sea cocks open.
The Wakama was not attacked, nor was she in territorial waters when she scuttled herself. All her officers and men were picked up by a British warship, and though prisoners are safe and sound.
It will be seen that not one of these charges is borne out by he facts—British Official Wireless, Chinese Badly Injured In Fall on Shipboard A Chinese workman, while repairing an electric wire aboard a steamer at Hunts Wharf yesterday morning, fell from a ladder and suffered a fracture of the spine. He was taken to hospital in a Fire Brigade am-balance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.