He spat upon the ancient chivalries
of battle; he prostituted the decent amenities of diplomacy; he polluted
with infamy and murder the splendid comradeship of the sea.
When the captain of one of his submarines placed upon his deck the
captured crew of an unarmed merchant vessel which he had sunk,
destroyed their boats, took from them their life-belts, carried them
miles away from any floating wreckage, and then projected them into
the sea to drown, this unspeakable monarch approved the awful deed
and decorated the ruffian for his infamous cruelty.
When gallant Fryatt, fulfilling every duty a captain owes to his unarmed
crew and helpless passengers, turned the bows of his peaceful
packet-boat upon the submarine which was being used to murder them
all in cold blood, he fell into this Kaiser's hands, and the coward
wreaked his vengeance upon nobility that was beyond his
comprehension and valour that rendered him insignificant.
Of these horrible acts the proofs stand unchallenged, and for such
deeds as these the world has cast him out: thrown him down from one
of the greatest thrones in history; and left him in the place to which,
white with terror, he ignominiously fled, stripped of all his power and
splendour, his crowns, his crosses, and his diadems.
Idle is it for this man and his apologists to plead any extenuation or
excuse.
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