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given to the Washington Cabinet in the case of the _Ancona_, and renewed in the case of the _Persia_, is neither withdrawn nor qualified by its statements of February 10, 1916, and January 31, 1917.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 Cabinet itself--it should find itself compelled to impose restrictions on neutral traffic by sea in certain areas, it will not need so much to point to the behaviour of its opponents in this respect, which appears by no means an example to be followed, but rather to the fact that Austria-Hungary, through the persistence and hatred of its enemies, who are determined upon its destruction, is brought to a state of self-defence in so desperate extreme as is unsurpassed in the history of the world.