The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-05-26
GIVES new FACTS
BRITISH MEMORANDUM TELLS
WHY SHIPS ARE HELD
Will BUY ALL COTTON

understanding of Governments At.
titude English Foreign Office Is
sues Statement Explaining Its Ac.
ton in OBTAINING American Ships
In an effort to correct what the
English government believes to be a
misunderstanding of Great Britain S
attitude toward American ships and
American cargoes in other neutral
boats as detained under the order in
! council, the foreign office has issued
an explanatory memorandum.
This explanation is supplemented
| by a statement that cotton cargoes,
| which the government agreed to pur-
| chase under the cotton agreement,
have all been bought by the govern
ment and that actual details concern
| ing the payment only await proof of
ownership and papers showing the
actual contract price. 1t is explain
ed that as most Of these papers must
come from the United States there
! will still be some unavoidable de-
| laws before the owners Of the cotton
get their money.
The memorandum Of the foreign
office follows:
q. 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 JOS
eph ". FordDey. This vessel, with
a cargo of foodstuffs consigned to E..
Klingener, at Malmo (Sweden) was
brought into Kirkwall on April 8.
She had been sighted by his Majesty's
ships about ten mile from the! Norwe-
gian coast and had thereupon en-
deavored, with the evident desire to
evade search, to escape rapidly into
Norwegian territorial waters, but
without success.
Inquiries Made.
"On the vessels arrival in Kirk
wall inquiries were at once addressed
to his Majesty's minister at Stock
holm with regard to the consignee OF
the cargo and 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 Gothenberg and
was manager Of the Gathenberg
branch Of Hugo Hartvig, and who
had stated that the consignments ad-
dressed to him on board the Joseph
". Fordney were intended for stor-
age in Malmo.
.'2. The suspicious conduct Of the
vessel in endeavoring to evade 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 Majesty's govern
ment that the foodstuff were in
reality destined for Germany. It was
accordingly decided that the cargo
must be placed in the prize court and
the vessel is at present discharging
at Portishead (England, on the
completion Of which operation she
will be released.
"His Majesty's government feels
satisfied that in the circumstances OF
this case undue interference with
American interests cannot with rea-
son be imputed to them.
Thirty-six Ships Held.
"S. The number Of neutral vessels
carrying American cargoes, and at
present held up is 36. OF these %
carry cargoes. of American cotton.
The United States government are
aware that since the enforcement OF
the blockade measures announced in
the supplement to the London
Gazette the 18th of March last his
Maiesty's government have acted as
regards shipments Of American cot
ton in accordance with the provisions
of an arrangem' Mt arrived at in col
laboration with representatives Of
the American cotton interests. The
terms of the arrangement are as FOL
lows:
"a. All cotton for which contracts
Of sale and freight engagements al
ready have been made before March
2 is to be allowed free transit or
bought at the contract price is stop
ped, provided the ship sails not later
than the 31st Of March.
'.B. Similar treatment is to be &C
corded all cotton insured before the
2nd of March, provided 1t IS put
aboard not later than the 10Th OF
March.
&C. All shipments of cotton claim
ing the above protection are to be de-
clared before sailing and documents
produced and certificates obtained
from consular officers or other au-
thorities fixed by the government.
Agreed to by American.
-. In accepting this scheme,
which it may be noted applies to ship
ments of cotton for a neutral des-
tination only, the principal repre-
sentative of the American cotton in
terests described it to his Majesty S
am mbassador at washington, as con-
ceding all that the American inter-
ests could probably ask. 1t was never
suggested that vessels or cargoes
| with an enemy destination should be
allowed to proceed, his Majesty's gov
ernment were, moreover, given to
| understand that the provisions OF the
arrangements were acceptable to the
United States government.
"5. 1t is intended shortly to fur
nish statement showing precisely
what cargoes. or portions Of cargoes,
his Majesty's government have dealt
! ..:x1. tho ohnva arra n cement