DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

444 SEVERANCE OF RELATIONS WITH ATJSTRIA-HUNGAKY.
in this connection it returns to the question of the more
severe submarine warfare discussed at the beginning of
this aide m^moire—in establishing a proper term issued
a warning addressed to the neutrals in its declaration
of January 31st, of this year; indeed the entire declaration
is essentially nothing else than a warning to the
effect that no merchant ship may navigate the sea
zones accurately defined in the declaration. Furthermore,
Austro-Hungarian men-of-war are instructed to warn merchant
vessels when possible even when encountered in
these zones as well as to provide for the safety of crews and
passengers. Indeed, the Imperial and Royal Government
is in the possession of numerous reports that the crews
and passengers of ships which have been destroyed in these
zones have been rescued. The Imperial and Royal Government
is however unable to accept a responsibility for
the possible loss of human life, which nevertheless may
result from the destruction of armed ships or ships
encountered in the closed zones. Moreover, it may be
remarked that Austro-Hungarian submarines are operating
only in the Adriatic and in the Mediterranean, and
that therefore a prejudicing of American interests by
Austro-Hungarian men-of-war is hardly to be feared.
After all that has been set forth at the beginning of
this aide m^moire an assurance is not actually necessary
that the closing of the sea-zones designated in the declaration
in no way serves the purpose of destroying or even
endangering human life but that it, aside from the higher
purpose of sparing mankind further suffering through a
shortening of the war, is only designed to place in the
same position of isolation Great Britain and her allies
who without having laid an effective blockade over the
coasts of the Central Powers are preventing sea traffic
of the neutrals with these Powers and through the pressure
make the former amenable to a peace which brings
with it the guarantee of durability. That Austria-
Hungary hereby employs other means of war than her
opponents is chiefly due to circumstances over which
man is given no power. The Imperial and Royal Government
is however conscious that it has made all
provisions lying within its power for the prevention of
the loss of human life. It would most quickly and surely
achieve this aim striven for in the isolation of the Western
Powers if not a single human life should be lost or endangered
in those sea zones.
In recapitulating the Imperial and Royal Government
is able to state that the assurance which it gave the
Washington Cabinet in the Ancona case and renewed
in the Persia case has neither been withdrawn nor restricted
by its declarations of February 10, 1916, and
January 31, 1917. Within the boundary of this
assurance it will in common with its allies henceforth
do its utmost to soon restore the blessings of peace to
the peoples of the world. If in the pursuit of this aim, in
which it well knows it enjoys the entire sympathy of
the Washington Cabinet, it finds itself compelled also to
prevent neutral navigation in certain sea zones, it would