Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-18

supplies Of every kind from leaving or
entering British or French ports hv
themselves stopping supplies going 10
or from Germany from this end. The
BRUSH fleet has instituted a blockade
effectively controlling by cruiser cor
doh all passage To and from Ger
many by sea. must emphasis again
that this measure Is a natural and
necessary consequence Of the unprccc-
denied methods repugnant to all law
ana morality which have been de
scribed above, which Germany began
TO adopt at the very outset OF the war.
ana the effects of which have been
constantly accumulating'
American Amba ssador, London"
SEEKS TO LEARN METHOD
OF ENFORCING EMBARGO
ihe American government trans
United identic messages OF inquiry
10 the ambassadors at London and
! l'aris inQuiring from both England ana
FRANCE how the declarations in the An
Slo-f'rench note proclaiming an cmbar-
go on all commerce between Germany
; ana neutral countries were to be car
ricd into effect. The message To Lon
don was rs follows:
Washington. March .. 1915.
In regard to the recent commuuica
lions received from the British and
french governments concerning re-
SlraintS upon commerce with Germany
nleaSe communicate with the British
Foreign offcc in the sense following:
The difficulty OF determining action
upon the British and French declara-
lions OF intended retaliation upon com
MERGE with Germany lies in the nature
OF the proposed measures in their rein
hon TO commerce by ncutrals
Tho language of the declaration Is
me Brittsh and French governments
To dctain and take into port ships ear
rNinG goods OF presumed enemy deg
tination, ownership or origin II Ia
not intended TO confscate such vessel
or cargoes unless they would otherwise
n" liable to condemnation
ne hrst sentence claims n right
pertaining only to n state of blockade
the last sentence proposes 81 treatment
OF ships and cargoes as If no blockade
existed. The two together present n
proposed course OF action previously
unknown TO international law.
AS consequence. ncutrals have no
standard by which to measure their
r!ShtS or 10 avoid danger TO their ships
ana cargocs. The paradoNical situa-
non thus created should be changed
and the declaring -powers ought TO as
sert whether they rely upon the rules
governing blockade or the rules APP
rlicahle whom no blockade exists
NV NVNlhi tl!pn presents ONE. Der
p!eNitic& The last sentence quoted In
dictates that the rules OF contraband are
10 ne applied to cargoeS detained The
rule covering noncontrahand articles
carried in neutral bottoms is that tho
carSo.s shall be released and the shIps
allowed 10 proceed. What then, is to
he done with II cargo OF noncontraband
goods detained under the declaration"
The same question may be asked as
To conditional contraband CarEocs
THE foregoing comments apply to
carsoes destined for Germany. Under
the rules governing enemy exports only
goods owned by enemy subjects in
and condemnation Yet by the dcciara-
zion II IL purposed 10 seize and take
into port all goods OF enemy owner
ship and origin.
PERTINENT QUESTIONS
PUT TO BEI.LIGERENTS
The origin OF goods destined to nsu-
trail territory on neutral ships Is not
ard never has been ground for SELF
ure except In case a blockade ie de-
clared and maintained What, then
would the seizure amount TO In the
present Cease except to delay the de-
livery OF tho goods Tho declaration
does not indicate what disposition
would be made OF such carGors IL
owned by "a neutra, or IL owned by an
'hViS SbDyccl W OUlu Il HcTeIt rule
be applied according to ownership? If
So upon what principles of intcrnn-
tional law would il rest? And upon
what rule, II no blockade is declared
and maintained could the cargo OF Il
neutral ship sailing out OF German
port DO condemned? II ii Is not con-
demned, what other legal course is
there but to release it?
While this government is fully alive
20 the possibility that tho methods Of
modern naval warfare. particularly
in the use or the submarine FOR both
defensive and offensive operations, may
make the former means OF maintaining
II blockade physical impossIblity, II
feels that II can he urged with great
force that there should be also some
limit to radius Of activity and espc-
cially so II this action by tho bellig-
eronts can be construed to DO n block
ado. 1t would certainly creato a &C.
rious state OF affairs II, for example,
an American vessel laden with a cargo
OF German origin should escape the