The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-02
BR|T0NS SEE WAR
IN INQUIRY UPON
FOOD SUPPLIES
List of Questions is Sent to
Provision Houses by
War Office
GOVERNMENTS EYES
FIXED ON GERMANY
Reply 10 Ultimatum Sent by
France Awaited With
Anxiety by
Diplomats

LONDON, Sept. 1.--Involved in a
situa ton filed W tn the graVest pos
bib,lities, Great Britain is making
Preparations to meet an issue which
al official Europe is anticipating with
genuine alarm and this alarm is
deeply felt regardless OF what m4Agre
knowledge of their misgivings dis
erect ministers permit To reach the
public.
While Jules Cambon. the French
attn passador. was presenting Frances
u'tInatum on Morocco 10 Germany
to-day the British war office was re-
celTing adviceS as to Great Britain
food supply and how long the coun-
try could subsist on iIs own resources
H. time OF war. The inquiry into
Lngla nd's food supply has baen in
progress for the past ten days, though
II did not become known until day.
Ten days ago a definite list of ques-
tons vas promulgated confldentially
TO all the provision houses in the
country. Among the questions were
the following:
t'on what ports are YOU chiefly
depe ndent9"
ITO what extent do you distribute
your Imports from Glasgow. Liver
pool and Bristol
To. what extent can you provide
from amongst your own staff for the
protection OF your headquarters. your
generating stations, yoar cold storage
store and principal depots, against
turbulence or violence
The other questions in the list had
the same trend~~in short how long
with her ports hieekaded could
/ Great Britain live without importa-
tons of food stuff
1--we on Germany
The government has one eye fixed
on Germany, which il undergoing a
distressing siege OF Angiophobia. But
as the foregoing questions Indicate.
the other eye Is watching England s
own interior and the possibility of
further labor disturbances, which
would prevent moving the food stufs
from one part of the country to an
! other.
Answers to the questions are pour
ing into the var Office and within a
few days the ministry will know the
approximate amount of food stufTs
ordinarily kept on hand. Given this
KEY to the situation and what II may
develop, the provision men naturally
are augmenting their stock.
Meantime, military activities are
/ progressing with great activity. The
overtime work in the arsenals, which
was exclusively reported in these dis
/ patches some time ago. is proceeding
/ without curtaiment, Army and navy
/ orders continue TO carry instructions
! significant of the anticipation of
action.
| G,~rinanys Move Next
| The next move in the international
/ imbroglio. IL is pointed out officially
I here tonight. must pc made by Ger
many France put the issue suuareiy
+ up tn Germany to-day. and the ulti-
/ matum delivered at the war, office AT
/ Berlin by Ambassador Can.bon con-
/ tanned nothing, II is understood. To
!! Indicate that France Will rseeie from
/ her original position.
| Germany has particularly served
tnotice that she will ask for special
| mining and other commercial priv
/ ileges in Morocco. France and no,
| ileges In Morocco. France could not
I grant these privileges even We're she
! willipg--without extending the same
/ rights 10 England This would mean
say London diplomats
+ The military preparations by Ger
! many and France are also being
pushed with remarkable vigor.
Some statesmen VINO are inclined
/ to minimize the danger Of wal
/ expressed the opinion to-day that
! these preparations are merely for
effect. Other statesmen, among
them many prominent diplomats, de-
clared IL hut natural for the countries
/ involved to seek to influence the con.
I ysxsa tons Try military activities. hui
ridiculed the idea that the contro-
versy will he settled by Intimidation
after reaching its present acute stage