The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1915-01-16
BRITAIN INSISTS
UPON RIGHTS
Note Comedies Principle OIL
Shipping Protest
COnCURS IN VIEWS Of u S

England Declares Alleged Fraudulen
Shipping Practices Force Search o
Ships.
The reply of Great Britain to tn,
protest OF the United States agains
British practices in interfering witt
the neutral trade of this country wa
made public at the state deartment.
In tone the British note is evel
more friendly and in spirit quite a
frank as the American note. 1t is Il
most respects a convincing argumen
in support of the British exercise o
its control of the seas and seeks t.
refute some of the contentious Sc
forth in the American protest.
Aside from the protest against thu
methods rather than the principle o
the British policy, it was c%onsideret
that the strongest point in the Amer
lean note was the contention tina
Great Britain had violated her owl
and accepted rule in her treatment o.
foodstuff as ABSOLUTE co%ntraband wher
consigned to neutral countries adjoin
ing Germany.
The British reply to this contention
is probably the weakest point in thu
reply. While it is maintained tha'
Great Britain has adhered to the &C
cepted rule, and while it is declared
that it is her present intention to d.
so, an excuse for departure from tn,
rule in future is sought in the allega
ton that her enemies are violating
the accepted rules of civilization ant
humanity.
AS was expected, Great Britain
gives every assurance that could b.,
desired of conducting her operations
with the least possible harm to thu
interests of the United States ant
those of neutral trade in general ant
borrowing the very language of tn,
American note with regard to trad,
interest, asserts that only such inter
ference as sis necessary to protec
the b%eligerent's national safety, ant
then only to the extent to which thii
is necessary" it is warranted or in
tended by Great Britain.
1t is explained that this note is (
preliminary communication, and will
be followed by n dealing In mort
detail with the issues raised.
Taking up the American contention
that British practices have caused !,
depression in American trade by de
nying American products their estab
lished markets In neutral countries
the British cite the American expor
figures for November, 1913 and 1914
Great Britain comedies that cottol
may have fallen off, but points on
that she cannot be blamed for that, al
she has practiced the intention of no
interfering with cotton as contrabant
of war.
Replying to the American conten
lions regarding copper, Great BritaiI
shows from American figures how
tremendously the imports of cope
by the neutral countries contiguous
to Germany and Austria have increas
ed since the war.
with such figures" the note de
Cidf0S, the pItSumpllOu lS Wei.
strong that the bulk of copper con
signed by these countries has recent
ly been intended not for their Owl
use, but for that of a beligerent VIII
cannot import it direct"
1t is declared that four cargoes o
copper and aluminium nominally con
signed to Sweden are known by thu
British authorities to have been def
nitely consigned to Germany, AMI
hence are being detained for priz,
court proceedings.
1t is clearly stated in the note tina
Great Britain believes that the Unit
ed States must bear some of the re
sponsibility for delays for neutra
shipping because of its action In pre-
hibiting the publication of ships man
ifests until thirty days after the,
have left port, the effect of which ha
been, the note declares, the exami
nation and detention of more ship
than would otherwise have been ne
cessary.