WHO ARE THE HUNS?

The Case of the ' Lusitania." 369
travellers sailing in the war zone on ships of Great Britain or
her allies, do so at their own risk.
IMPERIAL GERMAN EMBASSY.
Washington, D. C. April 21, 1915.
The English answer to this was given by the "Daily Mail"
of May 3rd, 1915. Under the heading of "Count Bernstorff's
Warning—Transatlantic Danger Proclaimed—The Latest Bluff
for America" this paper published the following cablegram
from its New York correspondent under date of
Saturday, May 1st:
"The "Lusitania" left to-day two and a half hours late,
under circumstances of considerable excitement, arising out
of the latest evidence afforded by the German Embassy of its
misapprehension of the spirit of American neutrality.
At the pier the passengers received numerous telegrams advising
them not to leave, as the ship was to be torpedoed by
German submarines. The messages were apparently signed by
fictitious names. Mr. Alfred G. Vanderbilt also received one, but
he tore it up without remark. The sending of these messages is
undoubtedly a part of the German Embassy's pre-conceived
plan for the intimidation of intending travellers. The Embassy
caused a warning to passengers by ships under the British
flag to appear in all the principal newspapers this morning,
with the statement that these vessels were doomed to destruction.
So far as is known, not a single passenger abandoned
the voyage."
The "Daily Mail" concludes with the following communication
by Reuter:
"Washington, Saturday, May 1st.
The British and the French Ambassadors called the attention
of the Department of State to the notice and to its prospective
effect upon travel. They also directed attention to
the most unusual method pursued by Count Bernstorff in turning
directly to the public, instead of through the medium of
the Department of State. Count Bernstorff was not at the
Embassy, but other officials there declared that the notice had
followed upon general advices from Berlin." (retranslation)
Miiller, Who are the Huns ? 24