Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-27

principal exports for that month as
compared with September, 1918, have
decreased from 107 to "a million dol
lars. or 80 per cent, the export of gas
oline, naphtha, etc, has increased from
20 to % millions of gallons or 81 per
cent. :.
Il need not point out that the course
o. the present war has shown the
immense Importance of the motor, the
airship and the submarine, all of
which are consumers of mineral oil.
may add that there is reason to be-
lieve that mineral oil in all Its forms
may be used for these purposes.
"A large proportion Of the exports
of this country has been consigned to
neutral ports, and according to evil
dence in our possession, has been
transmitted from them to a belliger-
ent country. As you are aware. the
supreme court of the United States in
1863 considered vessels as carrying
contraband, although sailing from one
neutral port to another. IL the goods
concerned were destined to be trans
ported by land or sea from the neu-
trail port of landing into enemy's ter
ritory It then decided that the char
aeter of the goods is determined by
their ultimate, and not their imme-
date destination, and this doctrine
was at the time acquiesced In by
Great Britain, though her own trade
was the chief sufferer.
"On the other hand, the neutral
countries concerned. who are anx-
ious in the interests Of their neutral
ity, to avoid being used as bases for
hcstilities by either beiligerent. are
new making arrangements which will
give sure guarantee that articles
which may be used in war shall not
be re-exported. In word they are
anxious to prevent their ports from
becoming the backdoor of either bel
Egerent. When these arrangements
are complete, it is confidently hoped
that trade between neutrals will be
subject to little or no hindrance.
1T Is to be hoped that for the fu-
ture adequate precaution will be talk
en- in order to show the real destina-
ton of goods consigned to neatrais
which, If transshipped to a beliger-
ent. might be used for belligerent pur-
poses.
Il may observe in conclusion that
although the British government have
detained cargoes for contraband in
order to make sure that they are real
ly intended for neutral countries and
have retained some cargoes such as
copper destined for Krupp's ammuni-
ton works, they have not yet taken
a single cargo without paying for 1t
and haev allowed every cargo really
destined for neutral countries to pro-
coed to it's destination"
The announcement from London that
the American tanker Brindilla had
been ordered released at Halifax, N.
S., and that the Platuria held on the
coast of Scotland similarly wouiu 10
permitted to continue her voyage
cleared UP every pending question on
the subject of shipping which had
arisen in the past week between the
United States and Great Britain. In
both cases, the principles set forth in
today's communications from the
British ambassador are as follows.
namely that on determining the exact
destination of the cargo as neuaral
the vessels would not be held.
The attitude of the British govern
ment in these matters was regarded
by the Washington administration as
satisfactory. the assurances that cot
ton cargoes would not be molested
even when bound for belligerent coun-
tries being particularly welcome. As
a result of these definite assurances,
Secretary McAdoo issued the follow
ing statement tonight:
There is no reason why underwrit-
ers who cover marine and war risk
insurance should now hesitate to issue
policies on neutral bottoms, so far as
Great Britain Is concerned. The bu-
reau of war risk insurance of the
treasury department is writing insur-
ance freely on cotton when carried in
American vessels"