Evening star., 1915-05-21
British Foreign Office Makes
Reply to Complaints of
American Shippers.
MEMORANDUM ISSUED ON
GOVERNMENT ATTITUDE
Purchase of Cotton Made. Accord
ing to Agreement, It Is Declared.
Reasons for Detention.

LONDON. May Elm an effort to
correct what the government believes
to be a misunderstanding of Great
Britain's attitude toward American
ships and American cargoes in other
neutrals bottoms, detained under the
order in council, the foreign office has
issued an explanatory memorandum.
This explanation is supplemented by
q statement that cotton carSoes, which
the government agreed to purchase un-
der the cotton agreement, have all been
bought by the government and that
actual details concerning the payment
only await proof of ownership and pa
pers showing the actual contract price.
1t is explained that as most of these
papers must come from the United
States, there will still be some un-
evoidable delays before the owners of
the cotton get their money.
Foreign Office Memorandum.
The memorandum of the foreign Of
fee follows:
"First-There are at the present mo-
ment three American ships detained in
this country Two OF them are cotton
ships. which are dealt with below.
The third is the steamer. Joseph w.
Fordney This vessel. with a cargo of
foodstuffs consigned to L. klingener. at
Malmo, Sweden. was brought into
kirkwall April s. She had been sighted
by his majesty's ships about ten miles
from the Norwegian coast and had
tbereupon endeavored, with the evil
dent desire TO evade search, to escape
rapidly into Norwegian territorial
waters, but without SncceSS.
"On the vessels arrival in kirkwall
inquiries were at once addressed to his
majesty's minister at Stockholm with
regard to the consignee of the cargo.
and a reply was received to the effect
that no person of that name could be
identified at Malmo. though there was
a person of that name who resided at
Gothenburg. and was manager of the
Gothenburg branch of Hugo Hartvlg,
and who HAD stated that the consign-
ments addressed to him on board the
Joseph w Fordney were intended for
storage in Malmo.
Charges Effort to Elude Patrols.
Second. The suspicious conduct of
the vessel in endeavoring to elude his
majesty's patrols and the known con-
nections OF the consignee of her cargo
have tended to confirm other evidence
which has come to the knowledge of
his majestys government that the
foodstuffs were. in reality. destined Tor
Germany. II was accordingly decided
prize court. and the vessel is Z present
discharging at Portishead tEngland).
on the completion of which operation
she will be released.
His majesty's government feels satis-
fed that in the circumstances of TINS
case undue interference with American
interests cannot with reason be I'M
puted to them.
Neutral Vessels Detained.
Third The number Of neutral vessels
carrying American cargoes and at pres
ent held is thirty-six. OF these twenty
three carry cargoes of american cot
ton. The United States government are
aware that since the enforcement OF
the blockade measures announced IN
the supplement to the London Gazette
of the 18th of March last his majesty
government have acted as regards snip
ments of American cotton in accordance
with the provisions of an arrangement