Evening star., 1914-12-31
BRITAIN TO ANSWER
IN FRIENDLY SPIRIT
Reply to American Note Will Be
Drawn Up as Soon as Pos
sibIe, London States.
AMBASSADOR PAGE AND
SIR EDWARD GREY CONFER
American Envoy Is Given England S
View of Protest Against Seizure
of U. S. Cargoes.


LONDON, December 81, $40 pm
afternoon gave out the following
statement:
AN answer to the American note
will be drawn up as soon as possible.
1t will be in the same friendly spirit
in which the American note is written -
Walter Hines Page, American am
bassador. had an extended conversation
this afternoon with Sir Edward Grey,
the British secretary for foreign af-
Iairs, on the subject of President Will
iairs, on the subject.
AS tlA note had been discussed by
the members of the British cabinet
yesterday the foreign secretary was
able to present to the ambassador the
combined views Of himself and his col
leagues.
The premium at Lloyds' to insure
against the outbreak Of war between
the United States and Great Britain
was cut to half today. Seven guineas
per cent Is now asked, as against the
10 gulneas per cent quoted when the
contents of the American note of pro-
test regarding American snlpping firsl
uecame known in England.
1t is not expected a reply to the
American note will be drafted for sew
eral days. 1t Is pointed out that a
document which 1t took weeks to draft
hardly could be digested by the caplnet
at one meeting. Even Sir Edward Gray,
who returned to town yesterday and
found the note on his desk, scarcely
mad time to read 1t, much less to con-
sider 1t, before the meeting of his col
leagues
In. ormat ton must be sought at the
aomlralty, which department is re-
sponsible for the examination of ships
cargoes. The permanent officials OF the
foreign Office and the law officers of
the crown necessarily will be called
upon for diplomatic and legal opinions
on the case submitted by President
Wilson.
b: ssddor Page will be asked to again
confer with Sir Edward Grey and dis
cuss the whole question, and probably
sir Cecil Spring-Rice, the British am
passador at W ashington. will be in
structed to take up the question with
the State Department in the American
capital
Opinions on Subject Differ.
While. it has come as somewhat Of a.
shock to the public that differences
have arisen between the two govern
ments on a subject that admittedly Is
a difficult one, the note generally is
calmly discussed. except by those who
declare that Great Britain should dis
regard American wishes and opinion
and follow entirely a policy which
would be best calculated to assist the
allies in their war on Germany and
Austria.
British ship owners, who are almost
as greatly concerned over the situa-
ton as the American shippers, today
expressed the opinion that the matter
would be amicably settled.
The director of one large company.
while admitting that Inconvenience was
inevitable in the searching of ships,
said it was possible some of this IN
convenience might be obviated.
1t was officially announced late last
of1icial press bureau yesterday that the
British foreign Office received the
American note only yesterday is in
correct. Ambassador Page Monday
told Lord Haldane, who was the head
of the foreign office in the absence of
the purport Of the note, which, he add
ed, would require time to translate
from code. The note was sent to the
foreign office Tuesday.
rage requested EDWARD Grey
to have the press bureaus statement
corrected, saying it left the impression
that the British government received
the note only after a summary of it
had been given the American papers.
Further Discussed in Newspapers.
The American note to Great Britain
concerning the search of American
vessels by British warships is further
discussed by the London morning
newspapers today.
The Standard in an editorial warns
the country that the American protest
is a serious one, and should not be
treated light-heartedly; that the senti-
ment in the United States in favor of
the allies Is less pronounced than it
was three months ago, and that it Is
yielding to a feeling in favor of Ger
many as the under dog in a fight
against great odds. Therefore, the
newspaper says, if any solution is pos
sible the United States should be met
half way.
A suggestion appears in the Morning
Post that Il remedy for the grievance
of undue delay in searching vessels
would be to pass a short act in parlia-
ment giving the neutral trader the
right to come to British court of
justice and by a process involving a
minimum of delay to claim damages
arising from the detention of his YES
sci or cargo
The Morning Post contends editorial
ly that American copper exporters by
no means have been ruined, declaring
that in September and October, 1913,
they sold 100000 pounds of copper
TO Italy, Holland. Norway and Sweden,
and that in the same months of 1914
they sold to the same customers 5O.-
600. 200 pounds.
I'VE trust" the editorial continues.