Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-02-18
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Washington, Feb. l1.--Great Bril-
tain's second and complete reply to
the American note OF protest which
on December IS, last, asked for an
early Improvement In the treatmcnt
Of American commerce by the Brit
lsh fleet, was made public tonight by
mutual agreement between the state
department and the British foreign
office.
The note, addressed TO Ambassador
Page. by Sir Edward Grey, under
date OF February % denies that the
depression on American Industries IL
due to the activity of the British fleet
and suggests among other causes the
shortage OF shipping facilities, the
consequent dimlnution Of cotton trade
and the destruction by submarIne
mines laid by the enemy indlscriml-
natcy" of many neutral vessels.
Regarding Detained Vessels.
After giving lengthy and detailed
answer 70 the charge that American
ships ana cargoes were being unduly
detained, the communication contains
7 Ia its concluding paragraph the am
! nouncement that Great Britain in
I tends 10 take retallatory measures
against ,he German submarine cam
paign against enemy ships, but does
not reveal their nature.
Conce1lng that foodstuffs intended
for the eivil population of country
are not contfahand. the British gov
ornment points out that 'in any coun-
try in which there exists such tremen-
dous organizations for war as now
obtains in Germany there is no clear
distinction between those whom the
government is responsible Tor feeding
and those whom II Is not"
German Measures Cited.
"lt will still be our endeayor. says
tlio final paragraph, TO avoid injury
and loss to neutrals, but the an
nouncement by the German govern
mont of their intention 10 sink mer-
chant vessels and their cargoes with
out notification of their nationality or
character aud without making any
provision for the safety of non-com-
Blatant crews or giving them chance
Of saving their lives has made II nee
ossary for his najesty's government
to consider what measures they
should adopt to- protect their intere-
SITS. II Is impossible for one belIiger-
cnt to depart from rules and prece-
dents and for the other to remain
bound by them,
Depressinp Due TO Other Causes.
Supplementng the preliminary note
Of several weeks ago. the new note is
about ten thousand words long and
includes not only statistical argument.
but further discussion OF the legal
principles involved. Foremost, how
ever, is the denial Of the British gov
ernment that the depression in Amer
lean industries referred 10 IN the
American note was due ia tho alleged
Interference Of the British fleet with
American commerce or "the result
Of any exercise Of bclligcfent rights"
Since the presentation OF the pre-
iimnary note. Sir Edward states that
he has had further opportunity OF
examining into the trade statistics Of
the United States as embodied in the
customs returns IN order to see
whether the belligorent action of
Great Britain has been ia amy way
tho cause Of the trade depression
which your excellency tAmbassador
Pagcl describes as existing In tho
United States ana also whether tho
seizures Of vessels OF cargoes which
have been made by the British navy
have inflicted any loss ON American
owners for which our existing ma
chinery provides no means of re-
dress"
Methods OF England.
In setting out the results OF my
Investigations, writes the British
secretary u think il wen TO take the
opportunity Of giving a general re-
view Of the methods employed by his
Ina1estys IS government TO intercept
trade with the enemy Of
their inconsistency with the admitted
right Of belligeront 20 intercept such
trade, ana also Of the extent to which
they have ondeavored to meet the rep
and complaints from
time to time addressed to them on
behalf Of the United States govern
ment.
Towards tho close Of your note OF
he 2sth OF December. your excellen
~ described the situation produced
BY the action Of Great Britain as q
nitiful one to the commercial interests
of the United states and said that