“The government of the United States proceeds on the assumption that the Lusitania could be regarded as an ordinary unarmed merchantman. The Imperial government allows itself in this connection to point out that the Lusitania was one of the largest and fastest British merchant ships, built with government funds as an auxiliary cruiser and carried expressly as such in the ‘navy list’ issued by the British admiralty. DECLARES SHIP CARRIED MOUNTED CANNON “It is further known to the Imperial government from trustworthy reports from its agents and neutral passengers, that for a considerable time practically all the more valuable British merchantmen have been equipped with cannon and ammunition and other weapons and manned with persons who have been specially trained in serving guns. The Lusitania, too, according to information received here, had cannon aboard, which were mounted and concealed below decks. “The Imperial government, further, has the honor to direct the particular attention of the American government to the fact that the British admiralty in a confidential instruction issued in February, 1915, recommended its mercantile shipping not only to seek protection under neutral flags and disguising marks, but also, while thus disguised, to attack German submarines by ramming. As a special incitation to merchantmen to destroy submarines, the British government also offered high prizes and has already paid such rewards. “The Imperial government in view of these facts indubitably known to it, is unable to regard British merchantmen in the zone of naval operations specified by the admiralty staff of the German navy as ‘undefended.’ German commanders consequently are no longer able to observe the customary regulations of the prize law, which they always followed. “Finally the Imperial government must point out particularly that the Lusitania on its last trip, as on earlier occasions, carried Canadian troops and war material, including no less than 5,400 cases of ammunition intended for the destruction of the brave German soldiers who are fulfilling their duty with self-sacrifice and devotion in the Fatherland’s service. SAYS IT ACTED IN JUSTIFIED SELF-DEFENSE “The German government believes that it was acting in justified self-defense in seeking with all the means of warfare at its disposition to protect the lives of its soldiers by destroying ammunition intended for the enemy. “The British shipping company must have been aware of the danger to which the passengers aboard the Lusitania were exposed under these conditions. The company, in embarking them notwithstanding this, attempted deliberately to use the lives of American citizens as protection for the ammunition aboard, and acted against the clear provisions of the American law, which expressly prohibits the forwarding of passengers on ships carrying ammunition, and provides a penalty therefor. The company therefore is wantonly guilty of the death of so many passengers.