New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-29

London, July 28.-The new British
note to the United States will be an
amplifcation of the original American
contraband note which arrived in
Washington Monday. 1t will take up
the questions which have arisen since
the first note was drafted.
Washington, July 2S.-Defence of the
right of belligerent to blockade
neutral port through which an enemy
is receiving supplies or attempting to
market his own products is the chief
argument to be made in reply to the
American protest against the enforce
ment of the Orders in Council. The
original note, received last Monday,
has been withheld from publication at
the request of Sir Edward Grey, Brit
lsh Foreign Secretary, pending the ar
rival of the supplemental communica-
ton, which is expected within a week.
All other issues than that of the
blockade of neutta! ports, it is learned,
will be regarded by the British govern
ment as subsidiary and proper for
later discussion. Upon recognition by
neutral governments of the principle,
from the British viewpoint, depends the
ability of a bel,igerent which has
otherwise established control of the
seas to profit by the enormous eXpendi-
ture and sacrifice which made possible
that control. The matter is all i'm
portant in the British view.
Two developments not discussed in
the original note will be taken up in
the supplemental, Communication.
The first of these is the American
tiication that the United States gov
eminent would lot recognize the
orders-in-counci! as a substitute for
the provisions or international law.
German Exports Involved.
The point in connection with the en-
forced unloading on the London docks
on June "a OF the cargo of the Ameri-
con steamer Neches. The ship was
Ell route from Rotterdam 10 New York
with a cargo of non-contraband, mostly
of German and Belgian origin. IL in
cluded several thousand prayer books,
rabbit skins, drugs and even some
cotton. The British government as
sert- the right under its blockade of
Germany to prevent any goods from
being exported the sale of which might
aid the enemy financially.
Because the principal British argu-
ment is erected to that phase of the
right of blockade which affects goods
sought to be introduced into an
enemy's country, it is believed that
the Foreign Office fe,t it necessary to
supplement the original note by an
argument extending the claim to cover
the case OF goods exported from the
enemy country through neutral port.
CIVIL War presidents in regard TO the
right OF blockade forms the chief basis
of the British argument, attenti, be-
ing especially called to the famous
"Springbok" case before the United
States Supreme Court, developing the
continuous voyage" theory. Though
this doctrine, which, it is asserted, JUS
titles a bellgerent in bl1ckading
neutral port, was strongly re listed by
European nations, the fact that il was
finally accepted in its entirety by the
Alabama claims arbitration was suffi-
cient to make it an enduring principle
Of International law, according TO the
British view.
American Trade No Loser.
incidentally it is contended by -reat
Britain that the execution of these
Orders in Council so far has no. re-
suited any damage to American
trade. According to the British view,
that trade has waxed enormously large
since the beginning of the war, Ameri-
can Treasury figures showing an in
crease of S200,000,000 in exports during
eleven months. while the American
ocean freight has grown by $4,000
tons.
Significant as indicating the amount
Of American goods entering Germany
and Austria, attention is directed to
official statements that the exports of
the United States to the Netherlands
have increased from S93, 100000 70
1922 600 900; to Sweden, from $4,000
OOO TO S7l,000,000; to Norway, from
S7,0OO00O to S35,O0O,0OO, and TO Den
mark, from Sl3,000,00 to $4,000, 900.
That America received fair supply
of goods from Germany, nothwith-
standing the war, is shown, the British
government claims, by the fact that in
eight months the imports from that
country to the United States aggre-
gated S86,000,000, and it is also noted
that the import of dyestuffs from Ger
many was greater than the previous
year