US annotation dealing with arming merchant ships according to the Dutch newspaper Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant dated 28 January 1916

An item dated Washington 28 January reported that the US secretary Lansing (1) stated that his country sent an annotation  to several powers dealing with the armament of merchant ships.(2)

Notes

1. Robert Lansing (17 October 1864 Watertown-New York City30 October 1928) Secretary of State 24 June 1915-13 February 1920. Lansing was supporter of the freedom of the seas and the rights of countries which were neutral. A lawyer specialised in international law.

2. At that time the USA was still neutral, she declared not earlier war on Germany as on 28 August 1917 and on Austria-Hungary 7 December 1917. Despite the earlier notorious disaster with the Lusitania was it in fact the resumed German submarine warfare which drew the USA into the war.