The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-08-11
ENGLAND ANSWERS
SAYS WE HAVE NEITHER LAW
NOR EQUITY ON OUR SIDE i,
WILL KEEP UP BLOCKADE

Discusses Prize Courts and Sug-
gests Arbitration Of Whatever Diff
ferences May Arise.
Great Britain's reply to the latest
American representations against in
references with neutral commerce,
made public Tuesday night rejects
entirely the contention that the
orders in council are illegal and JUS
titles the British course as wholly
within international law.
s'Unsustainable either in point Of
law or upon principles of interna-
tional equity" is the British reply to
the American protest against the
blockade Of neutral ports, with an in
. vitation to submit to international
arbitration any cases in which the
United States is dissatisfied with ac-
ton of British prize courts.
The British reply is contained in
two notes, one supplemental. With
the notes were made public CORE
spondence over the American steam
er Neches, seized by the British while
en- route from Rotterdam to the
/. United States, with goods of Ger
man origin.
Changed conditions Of warfare, the
British note contends, require new
application of the principles of inter-
national Law. The advent of the sub
marine, the airship and alleged Ger
man atrocities in Belgium are cited
as justification for extreme measures.
The blockade is justified on the con-
Gention that the universally recogniz-
: ed fundamental principle Of a block
ade is that beliigerent is entitled
to cut OF 'sby effective means the sea-
borne commerce Of his enemy"
The note reiterates that Great
Britain viii continue to apply the
$ orders complained of, although not
without every effort to avoid embar-
RAISING neutrals. sand observes that
American statistics show that any
loss In trade with Germany and Aus
tria has been more than overbalanced
by the increase of other industrial
activities due to the war.
* In the gel eral reply to the Amerl-
can representations against the or
ders in council, Sir Edward Grey, the
foreign minister, addressing Anbas-
sador Page, begins by expressing the
hope that he may convince the ad-
ministration in Washington that the
measures We have announced are not
only reasonable and necessary in
themselves, but constitute no more
I than an adaptation Of the old prin-
ciple Of blockade to the peculiar cir
: ccumstances with which we are con-
s fronted."
Sir Edward then refers to alleged
! atrocities in Belgium poisoning OF
wells IN German Southwest Africa,
use Of poisonous gases against the
allied troops in Flanders, and finally,
the sinking of the Lusitania, to show
how indispensable it is that I'VE
{ should leave unused no justifable
method OF defending ourselves"
Coming down to the question OF
the allied blockade Of neutral ports,
the note continues: SIn the varioNs
notes which I have received from
your Excellency the right Of bel
& figerent to establish blockade OF
the enemy ports is admitted, right
I which has obviously no value save
insofar as it gives power to 3. bel
ligerent to cut of the sea-borne ex-
porss and imports of>his enemy.
aThe contention which I under
stand the United States government
now puts forward is that if bellig-
erent is so circumStanced that his
commerce can pass through adjacent
neutral ports as easily as through
ports in his own territory, his oppo-
nent has no right to interfere, and
must restrict his measures Of block
ade in such manner as to- leave
such avenues Of commerce still open
to his adversary. This is ccnten-
ton which his Majesty's government
feels unable to accept, and which
seems to them unsustainable in point
: OF law or upon principles Of inter
national equity.
They are unable to admit that
belligerent violates any fundamental
principle of international law by ap-
plying blockade in such way as
Ito cut 90 the enemy's commerce with
foreign, countries through neutral
ports, If the. circumstances render
such an application Of principles OF
blockade the only means Of making
It effective.
.tThe government Of the United
States. indeed, intimates its readl-
ness to take into account the great
changes which have occurred in the
conditions and means Of naval war
fare since the rules hitherto govern
ing legal blockade were formulated,
and recognizes that the form CT close
blockade with its Gordon Of ships in
the immediate offing of the block
aded ports is no longer practicable
= In the face of an enemy possessing
the means and opportunity to make
an effective defence by the use Of
submarines, mines and aircrafts.
..The only question, then, which
can arise, in regard to the measures
resorted to for the purpose Of carry
ing out blockade upon these extend
ed lines is, whether to use your E1-
ceuency's words, they conform to the
spirit and principles of essence OF
the rules of war and we shall be
content to apply this test to the &C
tion which we have taken insofar as
1t has necessitated interference with
neutral commerce
Sir Edward Grey then refers to the
American civil war blockade of three
thousand miles of coast with a small
number Of vessels and recalls how
the Ts,ited States finally took re-
course to blockading ''neighboring
neutral territory, which offered con-
yenient centres from which contra
band could be introduced into Con-
federate territory and from which |
blockade running could, be faciHtat-
ed.''
'eYour Excellency will no doubt re-
member" wrote Sir Edward. chow, |
In order to meet this new difficulty, |
the old principles relating to contra
band and blockade were developed |
and the doctrine Cy>continuous voy-
age was applied and enforced, under
which goods destined for the enemy |
territory were intercepted before they |