The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-22
Great Britain Declares Den
mark Is Merely Trading Place
for German Oil Supply
Three American
Oil Cruisers Held
England Declares Danes Are
Yielding to German influence
and American Oil Shipped
to Denmark Is for Germany

Washington, Oct. 2f.-That
Great Britain intends to interfere
with shipments OF American Oil
to neutral ports In the vicinity
OF Germany. particularly Dan1sh
ports, was estahlished hero to-
day. Tho reason for thu HE1t11h
DETERMINATION already e9eapal.
Nd b IT, se1zure q three AHser.
loan On ships, = the desire 10
prevent Germany from getting
fuel for her air craft, her Zep-
lseatns and aeroplancs. Tho Brit
tsh maintain that the shipments
Of oil TO Danish ports which
have been already seized are IN
reality destined for German
points, and will not. therefore,
be permitted to proceed.
The British action goes further
towards suggesting that the Danish
government Is not as strict as it
should be in preserving its neutrality
It is reported here that the British
authorities have reason TO believe that
Denmark Is yielding to the Gern1a n
influence and cannot be trusted to
prevent the expectation of contra
band of. war into Germany Great
britain has recently made an ar
rangement with the United States
whereby American shippers are to
enjoy their usual access to the mar
kets or Holland, Sweden, and Dem
mark, provided these neu.ral coun-
tries prohibit the expor tatior1 of con-
traband of war to Germany II the
British suspicious continue to be acted
upon these markets will be at least
partially closed to American shippers
Of contrahand and conditional con-
traband.
Three Ships Have Been Seized.
The ships seized by the British
thus far are the Br1ndilia, held at
Halifax, pending the converting Of a
prize court: the John ID. Rockefeller,
seized of the Orkney Islands; and
the Flatoria. seized off the north coast
CT Scotland. All these vessels belong
&c the Standard Oil Company. and
were carrying oil.
The State Department is without
precise information as to the cause
of the seizure OF the Brindiila. and is
awaiting developments at Halifax be-
fore proceeding on behalf Of The
ships. It has been reported that the
of the transfers was 10 be
but II is now tntinated
that the charge will be that her cargo
Of oil was eventually to reach Ger
man or Turkish points. Members of
Congress here and others are begin
HlbB 10 SnaIe uUuer, the delay OF the
State Department in ascertaining the
exact cause for the seizure OF the
American vessels
In the case of the Rockefeller. there
being no question regarding its own
ership and registry, the State Depart
ment today instructed Ambassador
Page, at London, to state to the Brit
ish government that she has never
been anything but an American yes
sci, and to request her immediate re-
lease.
From present indications the
United States Is not yet prepared to
accept without question the British
claim to right to hold up these oil
or other American vessels bound for
neutral ports.
WIN Condemn Cargoes
The British. II is believed. are pre-
pared to go the limit In support of
their action with regard to these oil
ships and subsequent shipments of oil
to Danish ports. which British cruisers
may encounter on the high seas. There
Is no intention to take American ships
themselves as prisoners, but merely
to condemn or reQuisition the ships
cargoes,
T. was learned today that the seizure
OF the rafae American oil vessels bas
been taken up in London and Il is
now a matter of discussion between
the British Foreign Once and The
American Embassy there.