the attention of
neutrals to the fact that it would be well for their ships to avoid
entering this zone, for, although the German naval forces are
instructed to avoid all violence to neutral ships, in so far as
these can be recognized, the order given by the British Government
to hoist neutral flags and the contingencies of naval warfare might
be the cause of these ships becoming the victims of an attack
directed against the vessels of the enemy."

This was the beginning of the submarine controversy between Germany
and the United States and resulted in a note from the United States
Government in which it was stated that the latter viewed the
possibilities created by the German note

with such grave concern, that it feels it to be its privilege,
and, indeed, its duty, in the circumstances to request the
Imperial German Government to consider before action is taken the
critical situation in respect of the relation between this
country and Germany which might arise were the German naval
forces, in carrying out the policy foreshadowed in the
Admiralty's proclamation, to destroy any merchant vessel of the
United States or cause the death of American citizens:--To
declare and exercise a right to attack and destroy any vessel
entering a prescribed area of the high seas without first
certainly determining its belligerent nationality and the
contraband character of its cargo would be an act so
unprecedented in naval warfare that this Government is reluctant
to believe that the Imperial Government of Germany in this case
contemplates it as possible.

After stating that the destruction of American ships or American
lives on the high seas would be difficult to reconcile with the
friendly relations existing between the two Governments, the note
adds that the United States "would be constrained to hold the
Imperial Government of Germany to a strict accountability for such
acts of their naval authorities, and to take any steps it might feel
necessary to take to safeguard American lives and property and to
secure to American citizens the full enjoyment of their acknowledged
rights on the high seas."

It is not within the province of this book to go in detail into the
diplomatic history of the submarine controversy between Germany and
the United States. Suffice it to say, therefore, that from the very
beginning the controversy held many possibilities of th