Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-07-01
GREAT BRITAIN
DEFENDS SEIZURE
Blockade to Be Tightened-No
Relief Is Seen.
NO ANSWER TO CHIEF ISSUES
England Explains Action, But Does
Not Answer United States Pro-
test on Holding American
Vessels.
NO ANSWER TO CHIEF ISSUES


memorandum to Ambassador Page,
dealing with the complaint of deten-
ton of American cargoes bound for
neutral ports, was made public on
Thursday by the state department.
State department officials would not
comment on the memorandum. In the
opinion Of experts on international
law who have followed the controversy
between the two governments, the
memorandum is not Of a character to
afford much satisfaction. It holds out
little expectation of material relief to
American commerce from the hard
ships inflicted upon it by British Tegu-
lations and violation of the principles
of international law as pointed out by
the United States in it's note of
March 80.
In his note of transmittal, Ambas-
sador Page says that the memoran-
dunn is not intended as an answer to
the principles set forth in the note
of March 80, but merely an "explana-
ton of concrete cases and the regula-
lions under which they are dealt with
The British memorandum made
public Thursday contains distinct de-
NAL of certain rights for which the
United States in the note of March
80 contends. So to an extent at least
1t must be taken as an answer to that
note.
in the note of March 80 the United
States asserts that nations SOW
ereignty over it's ships at sea suffered
no diminution in times of war, "ex-
cept in so far as the practice and con-
sent of civilized nations has limited it
by the recognition of certain clear
~ defined rights which it is conceded
may be exercised by nations which
are at war" These admitted rights
of the belligerents are visit and
search. capture and condemnation if
visit and search reveals contraband,
and finally the right of blockade of
enemy's ports.
The complaint Of the United States
was that the interference Of Great
Britain was not confined within these
rights, but went far beyond them.
The principal complaint of the United
States has been that Great Britain
has held up American cargoes of nom
contraband to the great detriment Of
American trade with neutral coun-
tries.
The British offer to pay has not
been accepted by the United States as
full recompense and it certainly has
not been regarded as justifying such
high-handed action.
Lord Crewe in his memorandum
makes no reference to the principles
of international law which the United
States demanded that Great Britain
respect and III the view taken here
seeks to override the American pro-
test. He details the concessions"
which he says Great Britain has made
to American commerce, such for in
stance as the payment of G450,000 to
various American shippers of cotton.
Two paragraphs of Lord Crewe's
memorandum we're considered of spe-
cial importance as indicating that
Great Britain intends to tighten
rather than loosen, her blockade.
These were:
His maJesty's government Will be
prepared hereafter to give special con-
sideration to cases presented to them
and involving particular hardships, If
the goods concerned are required for
neutral governments or municipalities,
or in respect of works of public utility
and where payment can be shown to
have been made before the first of
March, 1915.
With the above exceptions his
majestys government regrets they
cannot continue to deal through the
diplomatic channel with individual
cases, but they would again point out
that special provision is made for the
consideration of such cases in the
prize court"
Paragraph Is was taken to mean
that hereafter the United States would
experience greater difficulty in getting
any goods from any port which Great
Britain regards as an enemy port,
and paragraph II is taken to be notice
that Great Britain intends to end fur
Their diplomatic discussion of her sci
lures.
The British embassy announced that
in cases where it was impossible for
American shippers to get goods out of
Germany before June Is the time has
been extended. 1t will be necessary,
however, for shippers to show that
they had not time up to June Is to get
their goods out of Germany.
DernburC Gets to NORWAY