Imperial Valley press., 1915-01-07

washington, Jan. 1.-State depart
ment officials today are inclined to
believe a solution Of the problem of
interference with American shipping is
found in the proposal to seal the
Patches Of ships leaving this coun-
try for Europe, with the corporation
of British consular officers. It is ar
gued that this plan should guarantee
the cargoes and would remove much
friction now existing.
Washington, Jan. THE state de-
partment was Jared sensibly yester-
day afternoon when it was informed
that a British cruiser had seized and
taken into Kirkwald, Scotland, the
American ship Denver, of the Mallory
line, loaded only with American cot
ton and bound from Norfolk for the
German port of Bremen.
The shock was unusually severe for
the reason that recently France and
England have both declared their in
tention not to interfere with cotton.
For these reasons and because it
is alleged that the integrity and hon
esty of the cargo was certified to by
British consular agent at Norfolk,
Ambassador Page was cabed tonight
to demand the release of the vessel.
Officials say that the Denver is
suspected of hiding copper in the cot
ton"
This new seizure has brought un
pleasantly to the attention of Secre-
tary Of State Bryan the fact that
Great Britain has now intensified the
trouble by setting up the claim that
an American vessel or any other may
sail out of Norfolk or New York, for
instance, free of suspicion, but that
she may be suspected later of con-
spring at sea to take on copper or
other contraband for the Germans or
Austrians.
The state department says that in
its cable to Amba assador Page it has
stated EXPLICITLY the facts as given
them by the agent of the Mallory line,
who called at the state department
yesterday, and on these facts the re-
lease is demanded. They decline. how
ever, to say whether the "demand" is
a diplomatic phrase or whether it is
peremptory.
Secretary Bryan was not at the
state department when the protest was
made by the Mallory people. His at
tention, however, was called to the
statement that the cargo was certified
to by British agent. He said he did
not sAow about that nor had he been
Informed of the British idea official
ly expressed, that certifications do not
amount to much anyhow. He reiter-
ated what he said yesterday-that the
certifications by this government were
only at the request of shippers and
cld not in any way guarantee immun-
ity from seizure or detention by Brit
ish cruisers.
The incident of the Denver and the
fact that her arrest took place on the
very heels of the Bryan protest and
against the clear presumption of her
innocence, increased the growing opin-
ion that Sir Edward Grey will be Just
"as friendly and polite" as the atti-
tude displayed in the Bryan note to
Great Britain. Not one of the off
clals expects any radical change to be
suggested by Sir Edward Grey. They
do expect that he will express regret
Tor conditions which were unavoidable
in the detention of cargoes and offer
to remedy the situation wherever pos
sible. They do not expect any reces-
sion from Great Britain's assertion of
right to hale American vessels
into British ports on suspicion of
fraud committed at the port of de-
Parture or by colusion somewhere on
the high seas.
State department officials are be-
ginning to express some very serious
differences of opinion as to the quail
ity and effect of Secretary Bryan's
note, which, it is said, was devised
at the White House. Two of the of
ficials said today to the International
News Service that the note should
have asked something in definite
WAY that would rennire q catnnorionl