Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-01

attention ID directed to the fact that !"
number of the american cargoes WHICH
have been seized consist OF looostui.s
and other articles Of common use IN All
countries which are admittedly relative
contraband. In spite of the presumption
of innocent use because destined to neu-
trail territory, the British authorities
made these seizures and detentions With
out. so far as we are informed. being IN
possession Of facts which warranted
| reasonable belief that the shipments mad
in realityia belligerent destination as thai
| term is used in international law. Mere
suspicion is not evidence and doubts
| should be resolved in favor OF neutral
commerce, not against it. The effect
| upon trade is these articles between neu-
| trail nations resulting from interrupted
voyages and detained cargoes Is not en-
tirely cured by reimbursement OF the
| owners for the damages which they have
suffered, after investigation has failed
to establish an enemy destination. The
injury is to American commerce with
| neutral countries as a whole, through
| the hazard of the seas and the repeated
| diversion Of goods from established mar
| kets.
IL dlSo dPpSdio ehdl AOh eVSo Va eAAAS
character have been seized by the Brit
| ish authorities because of belief that
| though not originally so intended by the
| shippers, they will ultimately reach the
territory of the enemies of Great Britain.
| Yet this belief is frequently reduced to
| a mere fear, in view of the embargoes
| which have been decreed by the neutral
countries to which they are destined on
the articles composing the cargoes.
THAT a consignment TO order OF
articles listed as conditional contra
band and shipped to neutral port
raises a legal presumption Of enemy
destination appears to be directly con-
| trary to the doctrines previously held
| by Great Britain, and thus stated by
Lord Salisbury during the South Afri-
can war:
Foodstuffs, though having hos
tile destination, can be considered rs
contraband of war only if they are
for the enemy forces; it is not suffi-
| cient that they are capable of being
so shipped, it must be shown that this
| was in fact their destination at the
| time of their seizure
Entitled to a Reply
With this statement as to condi
| tional contraband the views of this
| government are in entire accord, and
upon this historic doctrine, consistent
| ly maintained by Great Britain when
a belligerent, as we'll as a neutral,
American shippers were entitled to re-
ly.
The government of the United
| States readily admits the full right Of
! belligerent to visit and search on
| the high seas the vessels Of American
| citizens or other neutral vessels car
| rying American goods and to detain
them WHEN THERE is SUFFl.
GENT EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY A
BELIEF THAT CONTRABAND ARTI-
Giles ARE IN THEIR CARGOES;
but His Majesty's government judging
| from their own experience in the past
must realize that this government can
| not without protest permit American
ships or American cargoes to be taken
| into their ports and there detained for
| the purpose of searching generally for
| evidence of contraband, or upon pre-
| sumptions created by special municipal
enactments which are clearly at var;-
ance with international law and prac-
tice
This government believes. and earn
estly hopes, His Majesty's government
will come to the same belief, that a
| course of conduct more in conformity
| with the rules of international usage.
which Great Britain has strongly sane
toned for many years, will in theend
better serve the interests of bellgerents
as well as those Of neutrals.
Not only is the situation a critical one
| to the commercial interests of the United
States but many of the great industries
of this country are suffering because the
| products are denied long-estabiished
markets in European countries which,
| though neutral, are contiguous to the
| nations at war. Producers and exporters,
steamship and insurance companies, are
pressing, and not without reason, for re-
! lief from the menace to transatlantic
| trade which Is gradually but surely de-
stroying their business and threatening
them with financial disaster.
Confident Of Justice
1.-THE government of the United States,
| still relying upon the deep sense of JUS
| tice of the British nation which has been
so often manifested in the intercourse
| between the two countries during so
| many years of uninterrupted friendship,
expresses confidently the hope that His
Majesty's government will realize the OBJ
stacles and difficulties which their policy
has placed IL the way of commerce be-
| tween the United States and the neutral
countries of Europe and will instruct its
officials to refrain from all unnecessary
interference with the freedom of trade
between nations which are sufferers,
though not participants in the present
conflict; and will in their treatment of
neutral ships and cargoes conform more
| closely to those rules governing the mar
atime relations between belligerents and
neutrals which have received the sane
ton of the civilized world, and in which
Great Britain has in other wars so
| strongly and successfully advocated.
In conclusion, 1T should be impressed
upon His Majesty's government that the