New-York tribune., 1915-03-18
Britain Defined Its
New Order in Council

The reply from the British GOVERN
ment. transmitted by the American AM
bassador at London to the Secretary of
State. was as follows:
London, March Is, 1915.
Following is the full text o. note
dated to-day and an Order in Council
have Just received from Grey:
His majesty's government have
had under careful consideration the IN
quiries which under instructions from
YOUR government your eXcellency ad-
dressed to me on the 8th inst. regarding
the scope and mode of application of
the measures foreshadowed in the Brit
ish and French declarations of the 1st
of March for restricting the trade Of
Germany. Your excellency explained
and illustrated by reference TO certain
contingencies the difficulty of the
United States government in adopting
a definite attitude toward these meas
ures by reason of uncertainty regard
in their bearing upon the commerce
of neutral countries.
2.-I can at once assure your ex-
cellency that, subject to the para
mount necessity of restricting German
trade, his majestiy's government have
made it their first aim to mini nize in
convenience TO neutral commerce. From
lNc accompany lHb COpy "a lIt Clutl III
Council, which is to be published to-
day. you will observe that a wide dis
cretion is afforded to the prize court in
dealing with the trade of neutrals in
such manner as may in the circum-
stances be deemed just, and that full
provision is made to facilitate claims
by persons interested in any goods
placed in the custody Of the marshal Of
the prize court under the order. | ap-
prehend that the perplexities to which
your excelency refers will for the most
part be dissipated by the perusal of
this document. and that it is only neces-
sary for me TO add certain explanatory
observations.
Powers Conferred on Officers.
3.-The effect of the Order in Coun-
Gil is TO confer certain powers upon
the executive officers Of his majesty's
government. The extent to which those
powers will be actually exercised and
the degree of severity with which the
measures of blockade authorized will
be put into operation are matters
which will depend on the administra-
tive orders issued by the government
and the decisions of the authorities
specially charged with the duty of deal
Ing with individual ships and cargoes,
according TO the merits of each case
The United States government may
rest assured that the instructions to
be issued By ms maJosty's government
TO the feet and TO the customs officials
and executive committees concerned
will impress upon them the duty Of
acting with the utmost dispatch con-
sistent with the object in view and of
showing in every case such considera-
tion for neutrals as may be compatible
with that object. which is, succinctly
stated, - establish a blockade to pre-
vent vessels from carrying goods for
or coming from Germany.
l.-Hls maiesty's government has
initiating a policy of blockade to ex-
act from neutral ships all the penal
ties attaching 20 a breach Of blockade.
In their desire 10 alleviate the burden
which the existence of a state of war
at sea must inevitably impose on neu-
tral sea-torne commerce, they declare
their intention 10 refrain altogether
from the exercise OF the right 70 CON
fscate ships or Cargoes which bel
ligereuts have always claimed in re-
spect Of breaches OF blockade. They
restrict thei- claim to the stopping of
cargoes destined for or coming from the
enemy's territory.
5.-As regards cotton. full particu-
lars of the arrangements contemplated
have already been explained. 1t will
be admitted that every possible regard