Norwich bulletin., 1915-08-03
Two British Notes
 and One German
WERE BEFORE sEc'Y. LANSING LAST NIGHT
ON COMMERCIAL RIGHTS
Arrangements Are Being Made for Their Publication Simultaneously in Europe and America.

Europe and America.
 Washington Aug. 2@Three notes from Great Britain and one from Ger many, all dealing with the commercial were before Secretary Lansing tonight. Arrangements are being made for their publication simultaneously in Europe and America in accordance with diplo- matic etiquette.
 The British notes probably will be given out for publication Wedpesday morning and the German note for the following day.
 First British Note.
 The first British note is long com munication defending the allies efforts to suppress trade between their ene- mics and neutral countries, even by the stoppage of abnormal commerce through the neutral countries of Eu- rope adjacent to the Teutonic allies. Precedents in international laws estab- lished by the United States government itself during the Civil war, and espe- cia1ly in the practical blockade of the Bermudas, in order to cut off supplies from the confederate states. are re- yived to support this assertion of right. There are citations of decisions by the United States supreme court bearing on the same point, such as the cele- brated Sprtngbok case. Other de- cisions, such as that in the Matamoros this doctrine. are held to be inapplica- ble by reason of radical differences of governing conditions.
 Seizures and Detentions of Ships.
 The note has been long in prepara- ton and was intended to meet the ob- lection of the United States that previ- ous British notes had dealt only with special cases of seizures and detentions of ships and cargoes under conditions that seemed to justify the British ac- ton. failing to answer the American contentious that the whole process of interference with neutral commerce was in violation of international law. After 1t had been despatched to Wash ington, new conditions arose that led the British government to amplify it's argument.
 One of these new conditions was a strong protest by the state department against seizure of the American ship Neches. bound from Rotterdam for New York with a carEo-of Belgian and German goods. British activities pre- vfously had been confined principally to holding up cargoes from America, ostensibly bound for neutral countries, but alleged by the British to be actual ly destined for Germany or Austria The Neches case made necessary a defense of the allies right to cut off Germany's export trade to neutral countries and the financial benefit to be derived from that business.
 Actual Blockade of North Sea.
 The second note of the series deals with this issue, and it is understood that 1t sets up the contention that an actual blockade of the North sea ports exists and that. regardless of the Brit ish orders-in- council, there Is an i'm herent right in the blockading powers under international law to suppress traffic of this kind. While the contro- versy is proceeding, unofficial efforts are being made to release for the American market goods now awaiting export at Rotterdam, by proving Bel gian origin and American ownership.
 The last note of the series is in reply to the American caveat of July IT say ing the United States would be gov erned only by the principles of inter detentions of American ships and goods and would not recognize the or ders- n-council.
 To Meet New Conditions.
 The British foreign ofice holds that the orders-in-council comply with the spirit of international law, although they make a new application of these principles to suit the new conditions developed in the war
 British prize court proceedings wherein the magistrates have assumed that the orders-fn-council were in con- formity with international law pro- voked the American communication. The British contend that where inter national issues were pending before the United States courts that fact has been recognized by the London gov- ernment as a reason for deferring diplomatic protests. It is held that the United States government cannot
 
 fered permanent injury since there Is always in reserve the right of diplo- matic review of prize court decisions and even of arbitration, under the spe- cial arbitration treaty between the United States and Great Britain, re- gently perfected.
 German Note.
 The German note. continuing the dis cussion over the sinking of the Ameri- can ship William P. Frye by a Ger man commerce raider, deals with the American contention that not only in- ternational law but special provisions of the treaty of 1928 between the | United States and Prussia. had been | violated. The note makes no substan- | ttal change, it is understood. in the | original German contention that while | the treaty of 1923 does confer special privileges and exemptions upon Amer. jean shipping. these all can be met and the right still reserved to sink ner. chant ships if the owners are compeu- sated. Germanys formal declaration oi war zone is held to justify specia. measures to keep supplies from hel | enemies.
 Answers Soon Forthcoming. | An answer to the British notes BOOT will be forthcoming. as officials have been prepared to some extent for the | presentations made today and have | gathered material in rebuttaL Predic- tions were lacking, however, as to the course to be taken in regard to the German note CT as to other cases in- volving virtually the same principles as the Frye incident.