Connecticut western news., 1915-08-12
BRITAIN UPHOLDS
 HER SEIZURE ACTS
Lustifl9s. Blockade Policy In
 Thpa Noes.
CITE CIVIL WAR PROCEDURE

NTpHl bfildln aIlcllllltSf tu JtlSll!A HUT interference with American trade in connection with the bloc!;udc of Ger many in three notes made public at the state department at Washington. The notes were signed by Sir Edward Grey.
 First Note of July g.
 The first .5ritish note is dated July 2G. 1915. and its chief points are as fol lows:
 This communication has received the most careful consideration of his majes- tvs government. ".E.
 fully appreciate the friendly spirit and the cardor which are shown in the com nunic;t.on and reply in the same spirit.
 I need scarcely dwell on the obligation incumbent upon the allies to take every step in their power to overcome their common enemy in view of the shocking violation of the recognized rules and prir1- cinles of civilized warfqre of whicN he has been guilty during the rreseHt strne~le Your excellency's attention has alrendy been drawn ito some of these proceedings in the memorandum which I handed to ror on the 10th of February ...
 Since that time Lord R''tcr's repnrt. based on evidence carefully sifted nv l"~ai experts. describing the atrocities cor'mit- tn1 in Relgiur1 the poisoning of wells in German Southwest Africa. the use of poisoned gases aga inst tn" rrnons in FiHn- dNrs and finally the sinking of tTEe rusf- tania without any opportunity to paSs"l- ~ers and noncombatauts to save their lives. have shown how ind'snensahTe it is that we should leave unueoS no. iljstfffabIe ''n~t hod of defending ourselves
 Your excal1encv will reme~'',ar th1t Tn my notes of the 18th and lEtS N2r"H I n,-orofned thnt the aIliad ~nvernnnerts. t1- tor,Iaa 10 rooet the Cerrr,an attempt to ctop all srn-lias nf every tind fror~T 'aav- E-,o or enterino British or F~nnch norrs nv ttc-r7selves interceptirg goods going to ar f-or1 Germany Tsread the onrnrr1'rnic"t tsorr frorrr vnur excellencv's ~ove~npnn''t ncr as ri,nstforiro the necessity for orr taking n1T the stens oran to ''s to c~innle the Fu- ornv'e trade hut airected solely to rhe ,--,oe+Ton of tho In~-'-',1acy of the parrfcrr- ror rr7aa Sr1ras a dnnted.
 Tt may he rc+oA ir tHas co',-nct'co ttrat ot the tf~1e Of tho civil u-"- .SA TTnftHf ctatae fo1Ird thnrr-rc'vee rnde- +No necos et+v or declarirr 2 hlocl1ade nf e"''o "anr -,iIes of coast line. a miIitar~ n~nra+ron for which the rrr,ber of veTrels av1'T a1Ie was at first verv small. It w"s vitai to the cauee af tho Tinted Statns in that e~nat etrug~ie that they should he ohle to hr+ of~ the trade of the southern states.
 Sixth to eleventh narrate the expert once of tf1es United States in civil war hlockades. accept the pripcinle thar nortrars mrst not he injured and nuoteS American decisions on the suh. feet.
 Thcre are various nartlculars in whicir 'hA eyart method of carving h'Hrrnde into effect has from tirne to ti'ne var'nd
 The one nrineiple which is fi1rda mental and hos obtainea rriva~sal rncc~nitihn is thn+ hr, nneans of blockade 2 ballioerent Is entftTed to sh,,t off bv effective means the sea horne commerce Of. his enenrv
 It is the same with contFahard The un- TerTvire principle Is well Astabished. but es to the details there has been wide va rfety of view.
 It is impossible in the view of his mad esty's> goverrrrent in these circumstances 10 maintain that the right of hpllTgorent to intercept the commerce of his. enemy is limited in the way supgesteC in your ex- communication.
 Note on the Neches Case.
 Note No. 2 relates to the protests made to Great Britain against the de- tention and unloading of the American steamship Nnches. frcm Rotterdam ts the United States. carving goods orig. mating in territory held bv Germany and consi@ned to Americans. This $ the first specific case of the kind
 Sir Edward Grey in his reply refers to his note of July g, cites British Oh Servance of the rules of visit and searcn and accuses the Germans of sinking neutral ships regardless of right. He adds:
 While these acts of the German govern ment continue 1t seems neither reasonable iyrct hat ma fy' should be pressed to abandon the rights claimed in the British note of the g and to allow goods from Germany to pass freely through waters effectively patror1ed by British ships of war.
 If. however, 1t he alleged that in places and special circumstances hardship may he inflicted on citizens of neutral countries his maiesty's government are ready in such cases to examine the facts in spirit nf consideration for the interest of neu- trals. and in this spirit they are prepared to deal with the cargo of the Neehes.
 Notice Served by United States.
 Next is given the United States cave at filed with Great Britain. serving notice that American rights will be construed under accepted principles of international law and that prize court proceedings based on British municipal !cSlSldlIDn lbl III NOuLOAlull .Nllu principles Of international law will not be recognized as valid by the United States
 Sir Edward Grey's reply to this ca ,;eat says:
 do not understand to what divergence of views as to the principles of law ap- pIicable in cases before the prize court the government of the United States re- fer, for I am not aware of any differences existing between the two countries as to the principles of law applicable in cases bCfore such courts r The note then quotes both American and English law in defense of the pro- cedure i'll the British prize courts. Should any American citizen be dis satisfied with the finding of a. prize court. appeals are provided and event ually the decision would be subject To review by an international tribunal