The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-11
BRITAIN DENIES UNDUE
ARREST OF u. S. SHIPS

UT u. -. OHITO
I is very strong that the bulk Of COP
per consigned TO these countries has
recently been intended not for their
own use hut for that OF n beIiigerent
who cannot import II direct. II Is
therefore an imperative necessity for
the safety Of this country while II IL
NJ war that his Malesty's Government
should do all In their power to stop
such part OF this import Of copper as
l. not genuinely destined for neutral
countries.
Your Excellency does not quote any
particular shipment OF copper 10 Sweden
which has been detained There are, how
ever -FOUR consignments to Sweden ~ the
present time Of copper and aluminium
which. though definitely consigned to
sweden. are according to positive evidence
in the possession OF his Majcstys GOV.
eminent definitely destined for Germany.
II cannot believe that. with such Zig
ur's before them and in such casss MS
those Just mentioned. the Government OF
the United states would question the pro-
pricty of the action OF his Majesty'a GOV
eminent In taking suspected cargoes to
prize court. and we are convinced that II
cannot be In accord with the wish either
Of the Government or OF tho people OF the
United States to strain the interna ,onal
code IN favor OF private interests >, Us
to prevent Great Britain from taking such
legitimate means for this purpose AS are
In her power.
seizure Of Foodstuns.
with regard TO the seizure OF food.
stuns to which your ENcellency refers
MS Majesty's Government are prepared
to admit that foodstuffs should not be
detained and put into a prize court with
out presumption that they are Intended
Tor the armed forces Of the enemy or the
cncmys Government
I'VE believe that this rule has been
adhered 20 In practice hitherto. but Z
the United States Government have ir-
stances 20 the contrary VIC are prepared
10 examine them. and II Is our present
intention To adhere to the rule, though we
cannot give an unlimited and .uncon-
d!tionul undertaking IN view Of the de-
parturc by those against whom we are
fighting from hitherto accepted rules Of
civilization and humanity and the uncer-
tainty as to the extent to which such
rules may Ne violated by them In flu
turc.
From the 4th OF August last 10 the
Sd Of January the number OF steamships
proceeding from the United states for
Holland, Denmark, Norway. sweden and
italy has been 713. OF these there are
forty five which have had consignments
or 'argoos placed in the prize court. while
of the ships themselves only eight have
been placed in the prize court and one OF
these has since been released
1T Is. however. essential under modern
conditions that whore there Is real ground
for suspecting the presence Of contra
band tho vessels should bc brought into
port for examination In NJ other way can
the ght ~ search bc exercised and hut
for this practice II would have to be COM
plot'iy abandoned
Information was received by us that
special instruction had been given to ship
rubber from the United States under
another designation TO escape notice and
such cases have occurred In sevsra, in
stances Only by search In q port can
such cases when suspected be discovered
ami proved.
The necessity for examination In
port may also be illustrated by a hypo-
th,tical instance connected with cotton
which has NOT yet occurred. Cotton il not
specially mentioned in YOUR FNccllency's
note, but J have seen public statements
made I'm the Tinted States that the atti-
tud" Of his MaJesiy's Government with
regard to cotton has been ambiguous and
thereby responsible for depression in the
cotton trade.
There has never been any foundation
for this allegation. His Majcsty's GOV
eminent have never put cotton on the list
OF coutrahand they throughou, the war
kept II ON the free list. and on every
occasion when questioned on the point
they have stated their intention OF adj
he %" 10 this practice.
But information has reached us that.
precisely because We have declared our
intention of not interfering with cotton. {
ships carrying cotton viii be specially
selected to carry concealed contra band I
and We have been warned that copper {
will be concealed in bales Of cotton.
Whatever suspicious We have enter /
tanned We have not so far made these a ?
ground for OBTAINING any ship carrying I
cotton; but should we have information /
giving us real reason to believe in the /
case of particular ship that the bales
OF cotton concealed c.pper or other CON
traband the only way to prove our case
would be - examine and weigh the |
bales, a process that could be carried out
only 10y bringing the voss into a port
In such a case. or II examination justified
the action OF his Majestys Government. (.
the case shall be brought before a prize .
court and dealt with I'm the ordinary way. /.
That the decisions of British prize
courts hitherto have not been unfavorable /.
to neutrals is evidenced by the decision |
iu the Mramichi case. This case. which .
was decided against the Crown, laid down .
that the American shipper was to bo paid /
even when he had sold cargo e. j. T. /
and when the risk Of loss after the cargo I
had been shipped ala not apply to him |
a. ali