Evening star., 1914-11-15

knows II is known, however, that
Great Britain had forethought in the
matter and laid in an eXtraordlnarv
supply of fuel oil ana propapiy saso'
line as we'll
Statistics of the exports of American
gasoline to Europe during the hrst
eight months of the present year
the eight months ending with August
31-as compared with the gasoline eX-
ports for the corresponding eight
months of 1913. reveal some curious
and significant facts
During the eight months OF this year
we shipped to Great Britain 23.000,00O
gallons, as against only 100000 for
the corresponding period of last year;
to France We shipped nearly 2O.OOO.oOo
gallons. as against 100000; to Bel
sium more than 100000, as against
700, 900; to Italy more than 100000, as
against 100000. and to the Netherlands
more than 100000, as against some
thing more than 100000. 1t is believed
that much of that which went to the
Netherlands was destined for consump-
ton in Germany.
Germany during the eight months
took 3,T50,0 as against 100000 FOR
the past eight months of 1913, not a re-
marka BILE increase. a fact which Is
arousing speculation.
Gasoline and fuel oil for war pur-
poses are contraband of war and liable
to seizure. That does not mean that
an American may not ship these COM
modities in American vessels to bellig-
erent nations. He may, if he wants to
take the chance. Under existing con-
ditions no great chance exists in ship
ping to the allies. but shipping to Ger
many or Austria, with the possibility
of seizure by British or French cruis-
er, is another matter.
nr.v no ott
chants shipped much contraband of
war to the Southern Confederacy. When
Union ships caught British ship so
laden trying to run the blockade the
British ship was captured and the Brit
ish owner lost his investment. All he
could do was to grit his teeth and de-
termine to make up his losses by sue
cessfully running the blockade next
time.
AS Robert Lansing, counselor of the
Department of State, put it in recent
statement:
TT should be understood that. gen
orally speaking, a citizen of the United
States can sell to belligerent govern
ment or it's agent any article of COM
merce which he pleases. He is not pro-
hibited from doing this by any rule of
international law. by any treaty pro-
vision or by any statute of the United
Furthermore. a neutral government
is not compelled by international law.
by treaty or by statute to prevent these
sales to a belligerent Such sales,
therefore. by American citizens do not
in the least affect the neptrality of the
United States :. 1t is the enemy's
duty to prevent the articles reaching
their destination, not the duty of the
nation whose citizens have sold them" +"
From all of which may be deduced the
fact that the supply of gasoline and
fuel oil from the United States for the
allies may continue to flow in a COM
paratively uninterrupted manner, but
that Germany Is seriously handicapped
in getting her supply. the remaining
sources open to her being small.
And. also, it may be deduced that be-
fore this war is ended the matter of
gasoline and oil fuel supply for the
armies in Europe is to bulk big.
Possibly the man best qualified to
talk on all this is DIR. David T. Day.
petroleum technologist in the United
States bureau of mines. For many years