The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-06-09
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CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW OF
our NOTES OF PROTEST
DEMANDS RECOGNITION

DEMANDS RECOGNITION
Correspondence of This Government
With Belligerents Shows State De.
partment Has Insisted on Right OF
Visit and Search Of Merchantmen
Our Stand On Blockade Orders
President Wilson is entering upon
the sixth month of his negotiations
with the belligerent governments OF
Germany, England and France, es-
pecially the two former nations, rela-
tive to neutral rights on the high seas
and the restraints put on American
commerce.
I A chronological view Of the notes
comprising the correspondence dur
ing this period shows that the United
States government has ct no time
and in no manner yielded any of Its
rights as a neutral to any of the bel
| ligerents, that it has not recognized
the British order in council, and that
it has insisted upon the accordance
Of respect to these rights.
The notes Of the American govern
ment show that it has acknowledged
the right Of visit and search and the
right to apply the rules of contra5and
Of war TO articles Of commerce; that
it has insisted, indeed, upon the use
Of visit and search as necessary TO
prevent any mistaking of neutral YES
sells for vessels owned by an enemy or
any mistaking Of legal cargoes for IL
legal, and that it has admitted the
right of blockade, if actually exercis-
ed and effectively maintained, but
that it has conceded nothing beyond
these we'll known limitations which
war places on neutral commerce on
the high seas.
The correspondence opened with
the American note of protest to Eng
land. sent last December, and the lat
est chapter is the German reply to
the note of President Wilson regard
ing the Lusitania affair, which has
Just been received.
At the present time the United
States is about to send reply to this
German note, while the United States
is expecting replies from both Eng
land and Germany. Germany has not
yet answered the latest American
note on the Frye case, and the Brit
ish government has not yet respond
ed to the American note Of March 80,
which stated the position Of the
United States toward the British or
der in council, dealing with the So
called blockade, established for the
avowed purpose of cutting of Ger
many from trade with the rest Of the
word.
The notes that have been exchang-
ed between the United States and
other beiligerents relative to re-
stra;nts on commerce are in order as
follows:
December Secretary Bryan
sent a note through Ambassador Page
protesting to Great Britain against
the seizures and detentions of Amer
lean cargoes.
January 7-Sir Edward Grey hand
ed to Page note explaining the rea-
sons for these seizures and deten-.
tions, and stating that the British
government was ready to enter into
an arrangement by which mistakes
could be avoided.
February 10-Grey handed to
Page the full British reply to the
American note Of December 26; pro-
testing against seizures and deten-
tions of American cargoes.
February 6-Ambassador Gerard
transmitted to Bryan copy Of the
proclamation Of the German admir-
atty on February 4, declaring the
waters around Great Britain and Ire
land a naval war zone for submarine
attacks or merchantmen after Feb
ruary 18.
February 10-Bryan sent to Ger
many note protesting against the
war zone proclamation Of February 4.
This is now known as President
Wilson's "strict accountability note
February 10-Bryan cabled in
structing him to point out to the
British government the serious con-
sequences likely to result If the use
of neutral flags on British merchant
vessels in order to avoid capture was
authorized.
February 16-Herr Won Jagow,
German minister for foreign affairs,
handed to Gerard a reply TO the
American note Of February 10, in
| which he stated that its war zone de-
cree was necessary because of Eng
lands method of conducting mari
time war.
February 1s-Page cabled to
Bryan the British reply concerning
the war zone proclamation OF the
German admiralty. and the use OF
neutral flags on British merchant
ships.
February 20-Bryan cabled to
| Page and Gerard suggesting that a
modus vivendi be entered into by
England and Germany, by which
submarine warfare and sowing OF
mines at sea might be abandoned ii
foodstuffs were allowed to reach the
German civil population under Amer
ican consular inspection.
March 1-Gerard transmitted tc
BRYAN the German reply to the
| American note of February 20, Ger
many indicating its willingness to ac'
favorably on the proposal.
March 1-Sir Cecil Spring-Rice
British ambassador at Washington
handed to Bryan a communication
stating that because of the war zone
declaration of the German govern
ment the British government must
take measure to prevent commodltle:
of all kinds from reaching CT leaving
Germany.
March 5-Bryan sent to Page ant
Ambassador Sharp in Paris notes tt
Great Britain and France. pointing
out the difficulty of determining &C
ton under the retaliatory measure:
against Germany.
March 14-Sharp cabled to Brya1