T1HE WORLD WAR: PERIOD OF AMERICAN NEUTRALITY      67

keep the Minister of the U. S. informed of the progress of the trial.
Such a promise was never made by the German authority which,
therefore, could not break its word. The Minister of the U. S. at
Brussels, in the course of an interview with the German authority
recognised himself that this was the case. The United States Am-
bassador in London has been misinformed: he was led into error by
the statements of a Belgian jurisconsult who in his quality of legal
counsellor of the American Legation in Brussels has played a certain
role in this affair. The Minister of the U. S. has stated that the
publication of the documents in question had greatly surprised him
and that he would, without delay, advise his colleague at London and
his Government of the difference between the real facts and their
exposition in the written report of the Belgian lawyer.