Evening star., 1915-01-01
reading Of NOTE
D|SPELS IRRITATION
Publication of American State
ment on Ship Detention Has
a Reassuring Effect.
REPLY OF THE BRITISH
EXPECTED IN A few DAYS
Unreasonable Delay on the Part Of
the Admiralty in Examining Sus-
pected Ships Is Blamed.

LONDON, January 1, 1885 p.m.-The
publication in London of the text of the
American note to the British government
on the question of unwarranted inter-
ference with American shipping has dis
PEELED any irritation occasioned by the
incomplete sentences in the first sum-
mary of the communication cabled from
the United States. There were certain
Englishmen who saw something like an
ultimatum in the cabled extracts, but a
perusal of the actual context of these
particular phrases has dispelled this con-
ception.
Newspaper Voices General Opinion.
The Pail Mall Gazette today voices
the general opinion when it says:
1--WE could perhaps place our finge,
on certain contentious advanced in the
note which show some failure to ap-
preciate the difficulties of our position
but 1t is not our business to chop logic
with the government of the United
States. Sir Edward Grey may be trust.
ed to give the government of President
Wilson all the satisfaction it can prop
erly ask, while at the same time tndi.
eating WIN courtesy ana HTIHieSS tHs
measures our position as a belligeren,
power compel US to continue. The gov.
ernment of the United States has showr
every disposition to put itself In our
place and recognize our difficulties.
Our government will not show itsel1
to be less fairminded than that Of
President Wilson. Short of sacrificing
our best weapon for bringing the war
to a successful and speedy end, nothing
will be left undone to meet the wishes
of the United States.
1t is understood that Great Britain
ably next week.
Although Ambassador Page and For
eign Secretary Grey had long confer
ence yesterday. it was said that the
tance that little could be disclosed con-
cerning it until the members of the
cabinet had received printed copies OF
the full text of the note and have had
time to consider it carefully. It is
probable that full cabinet meeting
will be necessary to discuss the note.
Ambassador Pages Note.
Ambassador Pages note to Sir Ed
ward Grey in transmitting the state
ment of the American government was
as follows:
American Embassy,
London, December %, 1914.
"Sir:
"Under telegraphic instructions from
my government 1 have the honor to
acquaint you that the present condi-
ton of American foreign trade result
ing from the frequent seizures and de-
tentions of American cargoes destined
to neutral European ports has become
SO serious as to require candid state
ment of my governments views in or
der that his majesty's government may
be fully informed as to the attitude of
the United States toward the policy
which has been pursued by his majes-
tvs authorities during the present war.
81 am, therefore, directed to COM
municate to you the following state
ment and at the same time to assure
you that it is made in the most friend
ly spirit"
Regarded Friendly by Officials.
A prominent official said that the
British government, after thorough
consideration of the note, was still
of the opinion that it was entirely
friendly, and that the reply would
be made in the same spirit.
In official circles no effort is being
made to discount the Importance of
the communication which Is to be
digested carefully before any attempt
is made to formulate in detail the
British policy on which the reply will
be based.
Official opinion is that the differences
between England and America will
gradually cure themselves, provided
Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Holland
make vigorous efforts to check the
leakage of contraband into Germany.
Italy's Action Satisfies England.
Italy's handling of the contraband
situation is entirely satisfactory to
England. and British officials intimate
that the pursuit of similar policy by
other neutral countries near Germany
would Immediately relieve the situa-
ton, particularly in regard to the
1onetb of time that cargoes whose
ultimate destination is in question are
delayed.
The Hague asserts that the entire
German press received the news OF the
American protest to Great Britain
AGAINST delays to American commerce
with satisfaction and is speculatlng on
the nossibility of a crisis between the
two countries. The correspondent adds
that the newspapers declare tnat ehe
American government has taken
stand from which it Is Impossible TO
retreat.
Underwriters are inclined to believe
that the American note was inspired
largely by the unreasonable delay on
the mart of the admiralty in examin-
ine suspected ships which have been
detained. Ship charterers and ship
ners here agree in this regard. A
ebinner who is heavily interested de-
cIared that one neutral ship was de-
tanned fifteen days before the examlna-
tion was even started, and that 1t sub
sannentIy was released because there
was absolutely no ground for hoiding
IL Complaint is also made that the
ava aminations themselves are slow and
that payment for seized cargoes Is de-
iayed. and when made is at the lowest
possible rate.
Well Received in Rome.
ROME, December 81. $40 pm. (de-
layed in tuansmission.-The American
note to Great Britain, protesting against
the interference with American merchant
men has produced an excellent impress
sion here, not only because it may tend
TO avert exactly the same difficulties en-
by Italian commerce, but also
because it is hoped that 1t may lead to
more concrete set Of international rules
protecting the commerce Of neutrals in
their rights while still safeguarding the
rights of eblligerents.
working most earnestly to secure an
of conditions interfering with
American commerce. Feeling that the
Interests of Aemrica and Italy are in
CONTINUED on Second Page.)