The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-11-09
BLOCKADE IS ILLEGAL
AND |NDEFENS|BLE
United States Sends "Strict
Accountability" Note to Brit.
ish Government.
MUST HEW TO THE LINE
'hi'ed states Will Champion Neutrar
Rights Against the LawIess
BeIligcrcntS.

states in it's latest note TO Grao,
Britain, made public here TODAY GOV.
ering eXhaustively British interfer.
ehce with American trade since the
beginning of the European war. de.
clares that the so-called blockade in.
stituted by the allies against enemy
countries on March IL, is ineffective
illegal and indefensible." Notice is
served that the American govern.
ineht cannot submit to the curtail-
ment OF its neutral rights" and II
cannot with complacence suffer fur.
ther suboraination of its rights and.
interests"
Ambassador Page, to whom the
note was sent, by special messenger
lor delivery to the London foreign
Office, was instructed by Secretary
Lansing Ito impress most earnestly.
upon the British government that tb..
United States must insist that the
relations between it and His Maiestv's
government be governed not nv a
policy of eXpediency but by those es-
tablishel rules of international CON
duct to which Great Britain in the
past has held the United States to
account when the latter nation was
a bell1gerent engaged in struggle
for national existence"
Declaring the United States "up..
hesltatngly assumes" the task OF
championing the integrity of neutral
rights, the note proclaims that the
American government will devote It's
energies to the task, exercising al.
ways an impartial attitude.
The note, nearly $1,000 words in
length, was made public by agree
ment between the state department
and the British foreign Office. II
carries wit it voluminous appendix
giving the text of American naval
instructions issued in 1862 and
summary and table showing hundreds
of vessels detained by British au-
thorGes since the beginning of IN,
present war.
me nodN OF the note is divided
INTO 80 points dealing with all phases
OF the contraband question. seizures
and detentions, prior TO. as well as
after, the so-called blockade was in
Stituted, and announces that a seDa
rate communication will be sent soon
dealing particularly with the pro.
prlety and right of the British gov
ernment TO include in their list of
contraband of war certain articles
which have been so included"
In conclusion, after an argumen,
on the law and facts, Secretary
Lansing says:
believe il has been conclusively
shown that the methods sought to
be employed by Great Britain to oh.
tain and use evidence OF enemy
| destination of cargoes bound for neu-
tral ports and to impose a contrabapd
character upon such cargoes are.
without Justification; that the block
ade, upon which such methods are
partly founded is ineff ective, illegal
and indefensible; that the judicial
| procedure offered as a means Of
| reparation for an international in
jury is inherently defective for the
purpose; and that in many cases
jurisdiction is asserted in violation
Of the law of nations. The United
states, therefore, cannot submit To
nc curtailment of its neutral rights
by these measures, which are ad-
mittedly retaliatory, and therefore
Illegal, in conception and in nature.
and intended to punish the enemies
OF Great Britain for alleged illegal
ties on their part. The United States
might not be IN n position to object
to them IL" its interests and the in
terests OF all neutrals were unaffected
by them. but. being affected, it can
not With completeness suffer further
suboTdfnation Of it's rights and in-s
tteFests to the plea that the exsep-
'tsonai sbos sraphfcsHositio OF sha ,epe-.
mics OF Great Britain require or Just
ify oppressive and ilhegal practices.
The government OF the !. United.
states desires, therefore, to impress
! most earnestly upon His Maiesty's
government that it must insist that
] the relations between IL and His, Ma
| 'esty's government be governed. not
| by a policy of exDsdicncy, but by
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