The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-08-13
Ask President To Take Definite
Action To Relieve American
Commerce From Limitations
Of Blockade Of German Ports
POLICY or LONDON DOES
NOT PLEASE MERCHANTS
Senator Hoke Smith Of Georgia
Denounces orders-ln- Council
And Cargo Seizures As Most
fragrant Violations Of Law
CAssociEtsd Press by Federal wireless.)

CAssoeiEted Press by Federal wirelsss)
NEW YORK, August y. - Three
IN hundred importers have joined in
o petition to President Wilson to
take some definite action to relieve
American trade from the limitations
placed upon IL by the British orders in,
council declaring a blockade of all
German imports and exports.
Last night il was announced that,
following negotiations between the
trade advisers of the state department
and the representatives Of the British
government, the British have agreed to
allow the expectation from Germany to
the United States Of fifty thousand
bags of sugar beet seed, TO make up the
American demand.
Government win Distribute
The British agree that these may be
shipped through the neutral port, con-
signed to the secretary Of agriculture
for distribution by him among the far
mers. 1t Is expected that authorize
ton for the carrying out Of the agree
ment will he made by Berlin.
Senator Hoke Smith or Georgia, N
an interview regarding the general sit.
uation created by the British naval
activities, declared that f, the blockade
order is one of the most fragrant and
inexeusable violations of international
law in all naval history. He stated
that the United States shoud place an
embargo upon American exports TO
Great Britain as an alternative to the
further enforcement by the British OF
their Blockade order.
Demands Are Insistent
Pressure of American demands for
detained shipments has been growing
more insistent. While the state de-
partment has officially declined to rec
ognize the right of Great Britain t6 in
terfere in any way with American
trade with neutral ports, unofficial EFF,
forts have been made to exempt NJ
least part of these consignments from
the operation Of the order In council.
These negotiations have not been gen
orally successful, and emphatic though
informal representations have been
sent to support the claims of American
shippers. ,s.:....- .
Delay of goods valued at $167 200, O0C
now held in Rotterdam has been the
principal case discussed. These ship
ments include German and Belgian
products.
Releases Are Demanded
Efforts to release some of them OF
the ground that they were contracte'
for prior to the issuance of the Brit
igh order in council, and others on thu
ground that they were bona fide neutra
shipments of Belgian origin, have 81
fFr been unsuccessful.
Seizure Of the steamer Neehes, from
Rotterdam to New York a week ago
with goods of this character made i
clear that Great Britain was determined
to prevent movement Of such commerce
while the seizure yesterday by the Brh
irh of the American tanker Petrolit'
from Newport News for Copenhagen
the vessel being taken into a British
port, is evidence of the British inten
ton further to enforce its order re
garding the prohibition Of trade through
neutral ports for the benefit of Ger
PNany.
Three Thousand Firms Aherted
About 5000 American firms are In
terested in the merchandise, held a.
at Rotterdam alone They have BEEF
urgent in their demands and American
commercial attaches at Berlin an
London have been called on to handl
unofficial efforts to release the ship
ments. In individual cases PRACTICAL
every resource of informal dipl0mae
has been exhausted in efforts to secur
exemptions from the British order.