Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-03-16
AII Ships Passing to and From
KaiSeTS Empire Are to Be
Seized and CargoeS Dis
posed of as Prizes of War;
RIGHTS OF OWNERSHIP
MAY BE DETERMINE
Purpose Is Complete Blockade
of Country to Staue Peo-
pie Into Making Terms of
Peace, Says Official Order

/ Icy noHHsa JOURNAL seeclAltrAsfp wtsu,
London, March Great Britain
made known to the world TODAY I'M
q FORMAL proclamation. signed I'm
council hy the king ana issued from
l'uf BINGHAM palace. how she prn-
poses 10 sever all the articles of sea
commerce 10 ana from Germany dur
ing the period of the war.
AZ IN Premier Asquiths speech
/ l"rreasting The order. the term
hl"e kade' is not used and no pro-
posed area BE- defined Nevertheless
the text of the order makes plaip
Entlands purposc-tu prevent com
modiiIes of any kind from reaching
or leaving Germany during the war.
British officials tonight frnnkly
called the movement blockade. the
foreign office describing il as an cf-
fectiyc blocka6e differing from the
directive blockades of history only in
that the property seized viii not be
coniiscatod outright. but sold. the
proceeds eventually going ~ the
owners
In the last clause OF the pr0cluma-
ton is the proposal most interesting
To- neutrals This Be- "a flat agreement
90 lift the "blockadc" in case any
nation viii certify that the ships fly
ing it's flag shall not carry goods 10
Germany or originating therein or
belonging 10 the subjects Of the Ger
man empire
HcprisaI Against Germans.
II is notable that the order de-
clures no intention to capture ships
Of GcrmauYs allies, Austria and Tur-
key, The reason being. no doubt, that
the measure Is avowedly a reprlsal
against the German submarine war
fare. However, a Gordon Of ships viii
bc maintained 10 shut off the COM
mcrcc Of German ports and regulate
trade i'm the war zone. although ships
voyagng eastward across the Atlantic
win. u Is expected, be seized before
they reach the North sea,
When a neutral vessel is held up
In all cases. except where there is
false destination or other attempt at
subterfugo. the cargo only viii be
seized, provided IL Is not Contrabaud
a copy Of the order in council was
handed TO the American ambassador
tonight for transmission to Washing
ton.
The foreign office emphasizes the
fact that wide discretion is allowed
prize iUNlN tAll'AiiH ilNllfAAllk ANh'i 90
claims. Prominent officials urge up
on neutral governments to bear in
mind that manV powers are conferred
by the order on the officers entrusted
with the disposition OF detained ear
goes ana instructions viii be given
these men TO act with the greatest
dispatch consistent with the proper |
OF their tasks.
order - Elastic One.
The elasticity Of the order insofar
as il affects neutrals, is pointed out
by the foreign office, which has call /
ed attention from the first announce /
mcnt Of the reprisal policy TO the TACT |
that the regulations are not infleXible /
where the rights of neutrals are con- /
coned
while the order ls absolute, insofar /
as ships 90 ana from German ports
are concerned using the word must /
i'm stipulating how goods shall DE dls-
charged i'm English ports, the pro
visions concerning eargoes destined |
for neutral ports set forth that they /
may he required To discharge at /
British ports.
This language is typical Of the gem
erai attitude Of British officials to-
ward neutral trade.
The text Of the order in council
follows:
whereas. the German government /
has issued certain orders when III
violation OF the usages OF war Pur-
port 10 declare that the waters sur
the United Kingdom are
military area I'm which all British ana
allied merchant vessels viii he de-
.trovod irrespective of the safety ana
D. 49, and me ]