Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-01-29
Copper Increase Suspicious.

CuIteu NiuSOOtu, Out OF many neutral
countries
Copper Increase Suspicious.
Your excelency's note refers IN par
dcular to the detention of copper
The figures taken from official re-
turns for the export Of copper from
the United States for Italy for the
months during which the war has been
In progress up to the end of the first
three weeks of December are as fol
Vows:
1913-Fifteen million two hundred
and two thousand pounds.
19l4-Thirty-six million two hundred
and eighty-five thousand pounds
Norway. Sweden. Switzerland and
Denmark are not shown separately fol-
the whole period in the United States
returns. but are included in the head
ing "Other Europe"-that is. Europe
other than the United Kingdom. Rus
STA. France. Belgium. Austria. Ger
many. Holland and Italy. The CORE
spending figures under this heading
are rs follows.
19l3-Seven million two hundred
and seventy-one thousand pounds.
10l4-Thirty- million three hun
dred and forty-seven thousand pounds
With such figures the presumption is
very strong that the bulk of copper
consigned to these countries has recent
~ been intended not for their own use.
but for that of belligerent who can
not import 1t direct. 1t is therefore
an imperative necessity for the safety
of this country while 1t is at war that
his majesty's government should do all
in its power to stop such part of this
import Of copper rs Is not genuinely
destined for neutral countries.
Your excellency does not quote any
den which has been detained. There
are. however. four consignments to
Sweden at the present time of copper
and aluminium which, though definite.
~ consigned to Sweden. are. accord
ing to positive evidence In the posses
sion Of his majesty's government. def
nitely destined for Germany.
! cannot believe that. with such tg-
ures before 1t and in such cases as
those just mentioned. the government
of the United States would question
the propriety of the action Of his maj
esty's government in taking suspected
cargoes to prize court, and we are
convinced that 1t cannot be in accord
with the wish either of the government
or Of the people of the United States
to strain the international code In IA
vor Of private interests SO as to pre-
vent Great Britain from taking such
legitimate means for this purpose as
are in her power.
With regard to the seizure of food
stuffs. to which your excellency refers.
his majesty's government Is prepared
to admit that foodstuffs should not be
detained and put into a prize court
without the presumption that they are
intended for the armed forces of the
enemy or the enemy government. We
believe that this rule has been adhered
to in practice hitherto. but If the Unit
ed States government has instances
to the contrary we are prepared to ex
anime them. and it is our present In
tention to adhere to the rule. though
we cannot give an unlimited and un
conditional undertaking in view Of the
departure by those against whom we
are lighting from hitherto accepted
rules OF civilization and humanity and
the uncertainty as to the extent to
which such rules may be violated by
them in future
Must Be Searched In Port.
From the Attn of August last to the
Sd Of January the number of steam
ships proceeding from the United States
for Holland. Denmark. Norway, Swe
den and Italy has been 773 or these
there are forty-6ve which have had
cOnsignments or cargoes placed in the
prize court, while of the ships them
selves only eight have been placed In
the prize court. and one Of these has
since been released.
1t Is. however. essential under mod
ern conditions that where there is real
ground for suspecting the presence Of
contraband the vessel should b.
brought into port for examination In
NO other way can the right Of search
he exercised. and bnt for this practice
It would have to be completely aban
dOned
Information was received by us that
special instructions had been given to
ship rubber from the United States un
der another designation to escape no
tce. and such cases have occurred In
several instances Only by search In
a port can such cases when suspected
he discovered and proved
The necessity for examination In
port may also be illustrated by by
pothetical instance. connected with cot
ton. which has not yet occurred Cot
ton Is not specifically mentioned In
your excellency's note but ! have seen
public statements, made in the United
States. that the attitude Of his males
tvs government will regard to cotton
has been ambiguous and thereby re