The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-04
PRESS ENGLAND TO
RELEASE Of GOODS
State Departments Wants Merchandise
Bought From Germans 10 BE
Shipped.
NO SATISFACTORY RESPONSE
Goods Bought BY Americans still on
Docks at Rotterdam and at Other
Neutral Ports Awaiting Action.

Washington, Sept s.--The State De
partment is informally, but firmly. nov
pressing the British government in thu
interests Of American importers unable
to get deliveries of goods bought by
them of German manufacturers. owing
to the British blockade.
The department today sent another
message to Ambassador Page at Lon
don lnstructing him to renew at the
foreign office his request for specific
information as to conditions under
which the British authorities will per-
NIT deliveries of goods of German orr.
gin now lying on the docks at Rot
terdam and other neutral ports, This
is the second message of this character
sent to Ambassador Page within a
short time, his first appeal to the Bri-
fish foreign office having brought nc
satisfactory. response.
The specific point about which the
State Department is now informally
and unofficialiy seeking information
OF Great Britain is as to where applica
tons of American importers for release
of goods should be presented 1t is
desired to learn particularly whether
the British embassy will receive such
applications, presented through the I'M
official aid of the foreign trade advis-
ers of the State Department.
should All He Treated Alikc.
The reason such pressure is being
exerted on this point is that there have
been evidences that American importers
represented by attorneys In London
have had something of an advantage
over importers not so represented, This
feels that it is only fair
that all importers should receive like
treatment at the hands of the British
a tlthnrtfiaS y haf r1rixtiapaS ~
corded to one With regard to the release
of goods of German origin should be
extended to all. Ambassador Page is
instructed to inform the foreign Office
that importers not represented by prt-
waite attorneys in Loncon feel that they
should receive notice of any relaxation
in the enforcement of the orders IN
council and are entitled to full In
formation as to whether their applica
lions would perceived only In Lon
don or by the British embassy here.
When Ambassador Page at first re-
quested a statement from the British
on this point, he obtained no salts
factory response. He was told that the
questions involved are connected with
the general question OF shipments from
neutral ports, now under discussion
with France and also the subject OF
official correspondence between the
United States and Great Britain. The
discussion with France with given as
the chief reason who no answer could
be given the AMBASSADORS inquiry.
Nevertheless. officials here feel that in
view of the fact, established by the
authentic reports 10 Washington. that
certain importing interests represe MT ID
by counsel in London. are obtaining the
release of goods 1t should be possible
for the British government to state
clearly Just what it is doing In this
respect and what procedure is neces-
sary to take advantage of such oppor-
tunities as are being afforded import
ers.