Evening star., 1915-02-18
DENIES j. S. LOSSES
BY SHIP SEIZURES
London Answers Fully Wilson'S
Note Protesting Injury to
American Industries.
TO RETAlIATE AGAINST
TEUTONS' SUBMARINES
Impossible to Separate German Civil
and Military Population, Hence
Food Detention.

Food Detention.
Great Britain intends to take retalia-
tory measures against the German sub
marine campaign against enemy ships
Tho British government denies that
activities of the British fleet are RESPONSE
ble for depression in American industries,
and suggests, among other causes. Short
age Of shipping facilities, consequent
diulinution of cotton trade and destruc-
tion nv submarine mines laid by the
enemy indiscrininately OF many neutral
vesseIs''
These are features of the second and
complete reply of Great Britain TO the
American note of protest, which. Decehl-
Der % last asked for an early improve
ment in the treatment of American COM
merce by the British fleet 1t was made
public by mutual agreement between the
State Department and the British 1oreiSh
office. The note was addressed to AM
bassador Page by Sir Edward Grey, under
date of February 10.
Impossible to Separate.
Conceding that foodstuffs intended for
the civil population of a country are not
contraband, the British government points
out that an any country in when there
exists such tremendous organization for
var as now obtains in Germany there Is
no clear division between those whom
the government Is responsible Tor 1eeolhs
a nd those whom it is not
.sIr will still he our endeavor, say
the final paragraph, ito avoid INJURY
and loss TO neutrals, but the announce.
ment by the German government OF
their intention to sink merchant yes
sells nj their cargoes without verinCa-
tion of their nationality or character
and without making any provision LOT
the safety of non-com batant crews or
giving them q chance Of saving their
lives has made il necessary for ms
lnajesty's government to consider what
measures they should adopt 70 protect
their interests. II IS ifnpossiole 1or one
bel,igerent to depart from rules and
precedents and for the other to remain
bound by them.
Denies Hurting U. S. Trade.
Supplementing the preliminary reply
OF several weeks ago. the new note IS
about 10000 words long and includes
not only statistical argument, but a
further discussion of the legal princi-
ples involved. Foremost. however. ls
the denial of the British government
that the depression in American lnaus-
tries referred to in the American note
was due to the alleged interference OF
the British fleet with American com.
merce, on "the result OF any exercise oi
beliigerent rights
Since the presentation OF the pre-
lininary note, Sir Edward states that
he has had further opportunity OF eA.
anlining into the trade statistics OF
the United States as embodied IN the
customs returns. in order to see wheth-
or the belligerent action OF Great
Britain has been in any way the cause
of the trade depression which your eH-
cellency Gambia ssador Pagel describes
as existing IN the United States and
also whether the seizures of vessels or
cargoes which have been made by the
British navy have inflicted any loss
on American owners LOT "hlch our eA-
listing machinery provides no means
Of redress.
Reviews British Acts.
In setting out the results of my in
yestigation,'' writes the British sec
retary. "I think it we'll to take the op-
portunity of giving general review OF
the methods employed by his majesty's s
government to intercept contra band
trade with the enemy. of their con-
sistency with the admitted right OF
belligerent to intercept such trade, and
also of the extent to which they have
endeavored to meet the representations
and complaints from time to time ad-
dressed to them on behalf OF the United
States government
Toward the close of your note of
the 2sth December your excellency de-
scribed the situation produced by tne
action OF Great Britain as pitiful
one to the commercial interests of the
United States and said that many Of
the great Industries of the country were
suffering beca use their products were de-
nied long established markets in neutral
essss IQl n
ia tons at war
True Trade Disarranged.
1T is unfortunately true that in these
days. when trade and finance are cos
nopolitan. any war, particularly a war
of any magnitude. must result in a
erievous dislocation of commerce. in
Guiding that of the nations which take
no part in the war. Your excellency
will realize that IN this tremendous
struggle. for the outbreak of which
Great Britain is in no way responsible
1t is impossible for the trade of any
country TO escape all injury and loss
but for such his ma1esty's governmen,
are not to blame.
IT do not understand the paragraph
which / have quoted from your excel
lencys note az referring to these in.
direct consequences OF the state of war
but to the more proximate and direc
effect OF our belligerent action In deal
ing with neutral ships and cargoes OIL
the high seas. Such action has beeI
limited to vessels on their way to en-
emy's ports In neutral countries ad
5acent to the theater Of war. becaus
IL Is only through such ports that tn
enemy Introduces the supplies whicl
he requires for carrying on the war"
Few Vessels Mo1ested.
Sir Edward then pointed out that onl
eight out Of the 773 ships sailing from
the United States for neutral European
countries have been placed in the priz
courts. and that only forty-five have bee
Temporarily detained to enable particu
lar consignments of cargo to be dis
charged for the purpose of prize cour
proceedings"
The note does not go into detail as t
American ships detained on the high sea
or taken TO British ports for search.
The next paragraph analyzes the sta
tistics OF exports from the United State
and makes the observation that "Jt
therefore clear that. IL cotton be exc,ud
ed. the effect of the war has been not t