Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1915-02-18
Sir Edward Grey Defends
Saizure by Britain Of Con
traband Cargoes.
PROTEST SHOULD
BE AGAINST MINES
british Foreign Sccretar.'s Reply to
American prOtcS. States That Mines
Interfere More with Shipping
Than Britain's Attitude.

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE text Of
the British government reply to the
American protest against British in
reference with American commerce.
was i.ade public tonight simultane-
ously in Washington and London.
The British reply is written by Sir
Edward Grey and is dated February
10.
In acknowledging Secretary Bry-
ans letter of protest, the British
foreign secretary says that Secretary
Bryan "describes tao situation pro-
duced by the action of Great Britain
as q pitiful one TO the commercial
interests of the rnted States
Sir Edward then says in reply that
the British government has moi
nterfered in any way whatsoeveT
with any ships that have sailed from
tho United States to any countries
except Holland, Denmark, Norway,
Sweden and Italy. II is only Through
those countries adjacent to the
theatre of war that the enemy intro
duces the supplies which he requires
for the carrying on of the war;
And CT all tie sh 'ps thu haze
cleared from the United States for
these countries since the bePi'ninis
If the var only eight OF, OF -, have
been put in the prize court 81 Ed
ward Grey says, land only - tenn
porarily detained to enable PARTICULAR
consignments of cargo to be dis
charged for the purpose Of prize
court proceedings"
RI thnn call 9ftpn
ton to the fact that if cotton he ex
cluded from the calculation, n" ef'
feet of the war has not been 10 de-
crease American exports, but quite
the contrary. And cotton, while 1t
is effected by war. is not EFFECTED by
British interference with commerce,
as il is rot contraband OF war, ana
has not been interfered with i'll any
way" In other words, the naval
operations of Great Britain are not
the cause OF any diminu,ion in the
volume Of American exports"
Americas Trade Grows
Sir Edward Grey then quotes fig
ures calling the attention to the
enormous increase in the foreign
trade of the United States during No
vember and December, 1914, over the
same months in 1913
at is fair to infer" the British
foreign secretary says, that a sub
stantial part of this increase of trade
with neutral countries was in fact
'.intended for the enemy countries,
going through neutral ports, by
routes through which commerce was
previously unaccustomed."
One of the many inconvenience
caused by the war is the serious
shortage in shipping available for
transport, and the consequently re-
suit of excessive freight rates.
at cannot fairly be said," con-
tends the British foreign secretary,
chat this shortage is caused by Great
Rritain's interference with neutral
ships. At the present time there are
only seven neutral vessels awaiting
adjudication in the prize courts in
this country and three in the Brit
ish dominions. Every effort is being
made to expedite the release of those
ships On bail. Only one neutral yes
gel is now being detained in this
country in addition to those await
ing adjudication in the prize court.
wants to Increase shipping.
Great Britain is suffering from
the shortage in shipping and the rise
in freight rates as acutely as any
other nation. The enemy's ships,
which have been condemned in the
prize courts are being sold as rapid
ly as possible, in order that they may
be available for use.
"Your exce5sency w;si see, there
FORE" Sir Edward Grey continues,
chat his majesty's government are
doing all in their power to increase
the volume of shipping available. !
hope it will be realized that the de-
tention of neutral ships by his maj
esty's government with view to the
capture of contraband trade on its