The Austrian Government has, as in the circular verbal note already referred to—­reverting now to the question of aggravated submarine warfare referred to in the memorandum—­also in its declaration of January 31 of this year issued a warning to neutrals with corresponding time limit; indeed, the whole of the declaration itself is, from its nature, nothing more or less than a warning to the effect that no merchant vessel may pass the area of sea expressly defined therein.  Nevertheless, the Austrian warships have been instructed as far as possible to warn such merchant vessels as may be encountered in the area concerned and provide for the safety of passengers and crew.  And the Austrian Government is in the possession of numerous reports stating that the crews and passengers of vessels destroyed in these waters have been saved.  But the Austrian Government cannot accept any responsibility for possible loss of human life which may after all occur in connection with the destruction of armed vessels or vessels encountered in prohibited areas.  Also it may be noted that the Austro-Hungarian submarines operate only in the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas, and there is thus hardly any question as to any action affecting American interests on the part of Austro-Hungarian warships.

After all that has been said in the preamble to this Memorandum, it need hardly be said that the declaration of the waters in question as a prohibited area is in no way intended as a measure aiming at the destruction of human life, or even to endangering the same, but that its object—­apart from the higher aims of relieving humanity from further suffering by shortening the war, is only to place Great Britain and its Allies, who have—­without establishing any legally effective blockade of the coasts of the Central Powers—­hindered traffic by sea between neutrals and these Powers in a like position of isolation, and render them amenable to a peace with some guarantee of permanency.  That Austria-Hungary here makes use of other methods of war than her opponents is due mainly to circumstances beyond human control.  But the Austrian Government is conscious of having done all in its power to avoid loss of human life. The object aimed at in the blockading of the Western Powers would be most swiftly and certainly attained if not a single human life were lost or endangered in those waters.

To sum up, the Austrian Government may point out that the assurance given to the Washington Cabinet in the case of the Ancona, and renewed in the case of the Persia, is neither withdrawn nor qualified by its statements of February 10, 1916, and January 31, 1917.  Within the limits of this assurance the Austrian Government will, together with its Allies, continue its endeavours to secure to the peoples of the world a share in the blessings of peace.  If in the pursuit of this aim—­which it may take for granted has the full sympathy of the Washington