The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-08-05
BRITAIN JUSTIF|ES
SHIP SEIZURES
FEW CONCESSIONS MADE TO U.
S. PROTEST.
CITES THE CIVIL WAR BLOCKADE
Notes On Free Seas Issue Suggest
Appeal to Court of NeutraIs-
Holding Up of cargoes Justified
by Emergency

Washington, Aug. A. Following is
Sir Edward Grey through Ambassa-
dor Page to Secretary of State Lans-
ing on July "a, which was held up
at the request of the British govern
ment:
Ambassador W.. II. Page to tho
Secretary Of State.)
American Embassy,
London, July "a, 1915.
Following note, dated July %, re-
ceived from Sir Edward Grey this
morning:
On the I'd of April your excellency
handed me a copy of communica-
tion containing the criticisms of the
United States government on the
measures we have been constrained to
take on account of the menace to
peaceful commerce resulting from the
German submarine policy. This COM
munication has received the most
careful consideration of his majesty's
government.
fully appreciate the friendly spir-
it and the candor which are shown
in the communication, and, replying
in the same spirit, ' t"ust that | may
i be able to convince your excellency
and also the administration at Wash
ington that the measures we have an
nounceC are not only reasonable and
necessary in themselves, but consti-
tute no more than an adaptation of
the old principles Of blockade to the
peculiar circumstances with which we
are confronted.
need scarcely dwell on the obliga-
ton incumbent upon the allies to take
every step in their power to overcome
their common enemy in view of the
shocking violation Of the recognized
rules and principles of civilized war
fare Of which he has been guilty dur
| ing the present struggle. Your ex-
cellency's attention has already been
drawn to some of these proceedings
in the memorandum which | handed
| you on the 18th of February. Since
that time Lord Bryce's report, based
on evidence carefully sifted by legal
experts, describing the atrocities COM
mitted in Belgium, the poisoning OF
wells in German Southwest Africa, the
use of poisonous gases against the
troops in Flanders, and, finally. the
sinking of the Lusitania without any
opportunity to passengers and non
combatants to save their lives, have
shown how indispensable 1t is that we
should leave unused no justifiable
method of defending ourselves.
Your excellency will remember that
In my notes of the 18th and 18th or
March / explained that the allied gov
eminent intended to meet the Ger
man attempt to stop all supplies OF
every kind from leaving or entering
British or French ports by themselves
intercepting goods going to or from
Germany. l read the communication
from your excellencys government
not as questioning the necessity for
our taking all the steps open to us to
cripple the enemys trade, but as d.
rected solely to the question Of the
legitimacy of the particular measures
adopted.
In the various notes which | have
received from your excellency the
right of a belligerent to establish a
blockade Of the enemy ports is ad-
mitted, a right which has obviously
no value save in so far is 1t gives
power to a belligerent to cut off the
seaborne exports and imports of his
enemy. The contention which | un-
derstand the United States govern
ment now puts forward is that II a
belligerent is so circumstanced that
his commerce can pass through ada
cent neutral ports as easily as through
ports In his own territory his oppo-
nent has no right to interfere and
must restrict his measures of block
ade in such a manner as to leave such
avenues of commerce still open to his
adversary. This is contention
which his majesty's government feel
them unsustainable either in point of
law or upon principles of interna-
tional equity. They are unable to
admit that a belligerent violates any
fundamental principle of information
al law by applying a blockade in such
way as to cut off the enemy's COM
merce with foreign countries through
neutral ports II the circumstances
render such an application Of the prin'
ciples of blockade the only means of
making 1t effective.
The only question then which can
arise In regard to the measures resort
ed to for the purpose of carrying out
a blockade upon these extended lines
Is whether, to use your excellency e
words, they conform to the spirit and
principles of the essence of the rules
. Of war; and we shall be content to ap