New Britain herald., 1915-03-01
WILL STOP ALI SHIPPING TO AND FROM GERMANY fTaFec and Great Britain StTVo
 Notice on UaNed States.
 kAIUiE OF STEP NOT DISCLOSED

Premier Asquith Announces That q Virtual Blockade of Hostile Coun-
 tries is Great Isritains Reply 10 Gcrlnanys Submarine Attacks. Washington, March 1.-France and Great Britain served notice on the United States today that they would hold themselves at liberty to stop all shipping hereafter to and from Ger many.
 A communication, outlining nea- sures of reprisal on the part of the allies for the submarine warfare on merchant ships conducted by Ger many was delivered by Secretary Bryan by the French ana British am- bassadors here, who called personally at the state department together for ! that purpose.
 Bryan Aprriscs Wilson. Secretary Bryan promptly appriscd President Wilson of the new move,
 but declined to make any statement. What the nature of the step is Was , not disclosed by the ambassa dorS, who intimated that the state department would make all announcements on the subject.
 Since the first report from Lon con that the allies had decided to hold up all shipping to and from Germany, a notification along this line has been expected here but officials have re- trained from expressing any opinion as to the course of the American gov crnment in recognizing the validity of the proposed measures until the text of the declaration to be made 1 had been carefully examined. It was pointed out here that while ! there might be no precedent for such a wide range of action as the allies propose there was likewise no prece- dent for the German submarine block ade of the British Isles. Neutrals have not always recognized the valid ity of blockades. and many contests have arisen where belligerents have attempted to confscate ships and car goes seized for running blockades
 that were alleged to be not in ac-
 cOrdance with the rules of interna- tional law.
 BIockadc of Hostile Nations
 London. March 1.-Thc establish mont of |; virtual blockade of hostile countries is Great Britan's reply to GcrmanN's attacks on merchant ship ping, as announced officially today by Premier Asquith in d momcntous speech in the house of commons.
 The plan of the allied governments for the regulation of shipping 10 and from ports Of hostile nations contem- plates the prevention of commodities Of every kind reaching or leaving those ports. without, however i1voly- i ing risks to neutral vessels or their 1 crews. The allies will hold them | selves at liberty to capture goods pre- ! sumed to have como from hostile ! 'Ountries or, to be destined. for them. , They have no intention. however. of {. oontiscatingF ships or cargoes which ! gre detained unless they arc liable , 10 confiscati0n under normal condi- ! tions of war
 Votes fo, Credit.
 The premier revealed these meas l urcs of rcprisals to parliament and { the nation on introducing the third ! and fourth votes for credit to meet . the expenses Cf the war. These are, respectively. 100000 pounds ($1S5,- o0Q.000) 10 balance the expenditures ol tic current IlSCdl year. ma akln2 LlF total cost of eight months of war 362 100000 pounds ($1.S1O, ,0OO. .0O0). and another vote of 25O.O0O,00 pounds ($1,250, ,000.O .OoO) as the first installment for tho year opening April 1.
 Forced By Gcinlany.
 ''Germany has driven her opponents to adopt retaliatory measures to pre- vent commodities of every kind from reaching or leaving Germany" said Premier Asquith.
 Referring to what he termed whjs- Eers of peace. MT. ASquth said it was not time to talk of peace; that this ; time would arrive ''ony when the , great purpose of the allies are in 1 sight of accomplishment"
 Will Consider Humanity.
 The proposed measures of reprisaI a against Germany the premier said, 1 ] would be enforced with strict obser- vance Of tho dictates of humanity. but the allies did not purpose ito allow ( their efforts to be strangled in q net , work of judicial nicetes' There was i no intention, he explained, to confis- cate detained ships or cargoes unless they were liable to confiscation under [ tho ordinary conditions of war. I
 Referring to the German naval i campaign against British shipping, the I premier declared that Germany had { violated systematically all the conven-