The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-04-14

situated upon the long line Of coast
affected by the order in council will
not be interfered with when it Is
known that they do not carry goods
which are contraband Of war or
goods destined to or proceeding from
ports within the belligerent territory
affected.
To Recognize Rules.
"The government of the United
States assumes with the greater con-
fdence that his Majesty's government
will thus adjust their practice to the
recognized rules of international law,
because it is manifes. that the Brit
ish government have adopted an eX-
traordinary method of stopping car
goes destined for or coming from the
enemy's territory, which, owing to
the existence of unusual conditions in
modern warfare at sea, it will be diff
fcult to restrict to the limits which
have been heretofore required by the
law of nations. Though the area of
operations is confined to European
water including the Mediterranean
so great an area of the high seas is
covered and the Gordon Of ships is so
distant from the territory affected
that neutral vessels must necessarily
pass through the blockading force in
order to reach important neutral
ports, which Great Britain IS a bel
ligerent has not the legal right to
blockade and which, therefore, 1t is
presumed she has no intention OF
claiming to blockade. The Sc2ndi-
navian and Danish ports, for example,
are open to American trade. They
are also free, so far as the actual en-
forcement of the order in council is
concerned. to carry on trade with
German Baltic ports, although it is
an essential clement Of blockade that
it bear with equal severity upon all
neutrals.
Instructions to Commanders.
This government, therefore, in
fers that the commanders of his Ma
jesty's ships of war engaged in main
tanning the so-called blockade will be
Instructed to avoid an enforcement Of
the proposed measures of non-ihter-
course in such way as to impose re-
strictions upon neutral trade more
burdensome than those which have
been regarded as inevitable when the
ports of a belligerent are actually
blockaded by the ships of its enemy.
1.-THE possibilities of serious inter-
ruption of American trade under the
order in council are so many, and the
methods proposed are so unusual and
seem liable to constitute so great an
impediment and embarrassment to
neutral commerce that the govern
ment Of the United States, if the or
der in council is strictly enforced, ap-
prehends many interferences with its
legitimate trade which will impose
| upon his Majesty's government heavy
| responsibility. for acts of the British
authorities clearly subversive of the
rights of neutral nations on the high
seas. 1t is therefore, expected that
his Majesty's government, having
considered these possibilities, viii.
take the steps necessary to avoid
them, and, in the event that they
should unhappily occur, will be pre-.
pared to make full reparation fol
every act which, under the rules ol
intentional law, constitutes a viola.
ton of neutral rights.
In Friendly Spirit.
GAS stated in it's communication o1
October %, 1914, this government
will insist that the rights and duties
of the United States and its citizens
in the present war be defined by the
existing rules Of international Law
and the treaties Of the United States
irrespective Of the provisions Of the
Declaration of London, and that this
government reserves to itself the
right to enter q protest or demand ii
each case in which those rights anc
duties so defined are violated or theil
free exercise interfered with by the
authorities Of the British govern
ment'
I'm conclusion you will reiterate
to his Majesty's government that thi:
statement of the views of the govern
ment of the United States is made ir
the most friendly spirit, and in ac
cordance with the uniform candol
which has characterized the relation:
of the two governments in the past
and which has been in large measure
the foundation of the peace and ami
ty existing between the two nation.
without interruption for century.
(Signed) Bryan"