May 3--Government is obtaining official reports on the sinking of the
Gulflight from Ambassadors Page and Gerard.
May 5--State Department makes public the text of its reply to the
German note in the William P. Frye case, which was forwarded on April
28; the reply declines the suggestion that a German prize court pass
on the legality of the destruction and amount of indemnity; it
suggests that the German Embassy at Washington be authorized to deal
with the matter; it states that unquestionably the destruction of the
vessel was a violation of old treaties between the United States and
Prussia.
May 6--The State Department has replied to the German complaint that
the German steamer Odenwald was "attacked" when she attempted to leave
San Juan, Porto Rico, without clearance papers; text not made public.
May 19--American tank steamer Cushing arrives in Philadelphia, and
Captain Herland tells the details of the attack made by a German
aeroplane on April 28, while the ship was in the North Sea; he states
that the aviator manoeuvred to drop a bomb into the funnel, from a
height of 300 feet, but the three bombs thrown missed the ship; he
says the attack took place at 7 P.M., but there was ample light for
the aviator to see the ship's name in eight-foot letters, and the
American flags at the masthead and the taffrail; Secretary Bryan has
cabled to Ambassador Gerard, asking whether the action of the German
Government in placing the William P. Frye case in a prize court is the
reply to the American note stating that the United States did not
regard prize court proceedings with favor.
May 21--Recent orders from the British Government bring up to
$100,000,000 the total contracts for munitions of war given to the
Bethlehem Steel Company since hostilities began.
May 22--The French Line has chartered thirty-seven freight steamships
to aid in transporting the huge quantities of munitions of war waiting
shipment from the United States to the allied countries.
May 24--Italy asks the United States to take over Italian diplomatic
affairs at Vienna, and the United States consents; Germany, through
Ambassador Gerard, explains that her action of sending the William P.
Frye case to a prize court is not intended as an answer to the
American note on the matter, but is a necessary procedure under German
law.
May 25--United States issues a proclamation of neutrality, under date
of May 24, covering the entry of Italy into the war.
May 29--Federal Court at Milwaukee dismisses the action brought by
General Samuel Pearson, former Boer commander, in which he sought to
restrain the Allis-Chalmers Company and others from manufacturing
shrapnel shells, which, it was alleged, were being shipped to the
Allies; the court holds that the relief sought by the plaintiff is
political rather than legal.
June 2--The Allies have assured the State Department that Dr. Dernburg
will be given safe conduct if he wishes to return to Germany.
June 4--Germany in a note expresses regret for the torpedoing of the
Gulflight, which is stated to have been due to a mistake, and offers
to pay for the damage.
June 5--German war bonds are being sold in this country, and
German-Americans are buying them readily.
June 8--There are persistent rumors that German interests are trying
to buy American ammunition factories so as to stop shipments to the
Allies.
June 10--In a new note on the William P. Frye case Germany insists
that the case go before a prize court, and puts forth the contention
that she has the right to destroy any American ship carrying
contraband, the contention being based on the American-Prussian Treaty
of 1799.
June 12--Dr. Dernburg sails for Bergen on the Norwegian America liner
Bergensfjord.