The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-06

I
have announced 1t their intention tt
! adopt. and which they have. to SONS
/ extent. adopted; but the Government
1 of the United States recalling tbs
principles spon which His Majesty
! Government have hitherto been scrup
! ulous to act lnterprets this as merely
| a reason for certain extraordinary &C
! tivities on the part Of His atesty',
! naval forces, and not as an excuse for
or prelude TO, any unlawful action. II
! the course pursued by the present
! enemies OF Great Britain should prove
| to be in fact tainted by illegality anc
! disregard of the principles of wal
sanctioned by enlightened nations. II
cannot be supported, and this Gov
! eminent does not for a moment sup.
| pose that His Majestys Government
would wish the same stain to attach
| to their own actions, or would cite
such Illegal acts as in any sense OF
! tees on their part in So far as they
affect neutral rights.
1t Is thus that the Government
OF the United States tnterprets the
language of the note OF His Majesty s
principal Secretary Of state for For
eign Affairs. which aCcomp anies the
copy of the order in council, which
was handed to the ambassador Of tho
to Washington.
wide Discretion of Prize Cour1s.
This Government notes with graf
ifcation that wide discretion il at
forded to the prize court in dealing
with the trade of neutrals IN Suc1
manner as in the circumstances may
be deemed Just, and fun provision is
made to facilitate claims by persons
interested In any goods placed in the
custody OF tho marshal of the prize
court under he order. that Che ef-
feet of the order in council Is to con-
fer certain powers on the executive
officers Of His Matesty's Government
and that the extent to which these
powers will be actually exercised and
the degree of severity with which
the measures OF blockade authorized
will hep ut VITO operation. are mat
tiers which will depend on the admin
istrative orders issued by this Gov
eminent. and the decisions Of the
authorities especially charged with
the duty of dealing with individual
ships add cargoes according TO the
merits Of each case This Govern
ment further notes with equal salts
faction the declaration of the Brit
ish Governm that the instructions
TO he ~nued by His Maiesty's Gov
kernm. mt 10 the feet, and to the GUS
toms nf1cials ard executive commit
tees concerned Will impress upon
then, the duty Of acting with the
utmost dispatch consistent with the
object in view, and Of Showing In
avery case such consideration for
n eutrals as nav Nc Compa tible with
that object which Is sueCintly stated
20 establish a blockade TO prevent
!
coming from Germanv'
| Look to Modification of Order.
! I'm view Of these assurances formal
" given to this government II Is con
hdentlv expected that the extens,v,
powers conferred by the order In coun
Gil on the executive officers of tn,
/ crown will be restricted by orders is
sued by the government directing tbs
exercise or their discretionary powers
in such q manner as to modify in prac
teal application those provisions o
the order In council which. If stricth
enforced. would violate neutral rightt
OF these voluntary assurances by HI
Majesty's the United States takes IL fo
granted that the approach OF Ameri
can merchantmen to Neutral port
situated on the long lire of coast az
fected by the order ia council will no
/ be interfeTed with when It is known
that they do not carry goods which arr
contraband of war or goods destine'
to or proceeding from ports within tn
ibelIigerent territory affected
An Extraordinary Method.
The Government of the Unite
States assumes with the greater con
fidence that His Ma iesty's Governmen
! will thus adjust their practice to tn
recognized rules Of international Law
! because ii is manifest that the Britis
Government have adopted an extra
ordinary method Of stopping cargoe
destined for. or coming from, tn
enemy's territory which owing TO tn
existence of unusual conditions /
modern warfare at sea it will be dif
ficult to restrict TO the limits whic
have been heretofore required by IN
law OF nations Though the area c
operations In confined to 'Europea
waters including the Mediterranean
80 great an area of the high seas
covered and the Gordon of ships is s
|. distant from the territory affected tina
nestral vessels must necessarily pas
. through the blockading force In orde
10 reach important neutral port
which Great Britain. as a bellgeren
has not the legal right to blockade
and which, therefore. it is presumed
she has no intention OF claiming I
blockade The ca1.dinavia an
Danish ports. for example, are ope
10 American trade. They are ais
free. 30 far as the actual enforce m er
of the order in council is concerned
to carry on trade with German Bait
ports. although il is an essential ele
I ment OF blockade that II bear wit
equal severity upon all neutrsIs.
This Government therefore, infe,
that the commanders OF His Majesty
ships of war engaged in maintainin
the so-called blockade will be INSTRUCT
, ed to avoid an enforcement OF the pro
posed measures of nonintercourse
such a way as TO impose restriction
, upon neutral trade more burdensom
than those which have been regarde
as inevita BILE when the ports or a be
ligerent are actually blockaded by III
ships of it's enemy,
Imposes Heavy Responsibilities.
"rbe possibilities of serious Inter
ruption of American trade under III
order In council are many. and tn