New Britain herald., 1915-01-01

seizure which was confidently expect ed to result from consigning ship ments to definite consignees, rather than to order is still awaited.
 Relation of Nations.
 ''It is needless to point out to his majesty's government, usually the champion of the freedom of the seas and the rights of trade, that peace, not war, is the normal relation be- tween nations and that the commerce between countries which are not bel ligerents should not be interfered with by those at war, unless such in terference is manifestly an impera- tive necessity to protect their nation al safety and then only to the extent that it is necessity It is with no lack of appreciation of the moment ous nature of the present struggle in which Great Britain is engaged and with no selfish desire to gain undue commercial advantage, that this gov ernment is reluctantly forced to the conclusion that the present policy of his ma5esty's government toward neutral ships and cargoes exceeds the manifest necessity of a belligerent and constitutes restrictions upon the IlGuIS OI AIIcIICdI CIlIZOlS OH luO high seas which are not justified by the rules of international law or re- quired under the principle of self preservation
 As to Real Contraband.
 "The government of the United States does not intend at this time to discuss the propriety of including cer- tain articles in the lists of absolute and conditional contraband, which have been proclaimed by his majesty. Open to objection as some of these seem to this government, the chief ground of present complaint is the treatment of cargoes of both classes of articles when bound to neutral ports.
 Articles listed as absolute contra band shipped from the United States and consigned to neutral countries have been seized and detained on the ground that the countries to which they were destined have not prohibit ed the eNportation of such articles.
 Dctcntions Unwalranted.
 'Tnwarranted as such detentions are. in the opinion of this govern ment.- American exporters are further perplexed by the apparent indecision of the British authorities in applying their own rules to neutral cargoes. For example, a shipment of copper to a specified consignee in Sweden was detained because, as was stated by Great Britain, Sweden had placed no mbargO on copper.
 ''On the other hand, Italy not only prohibited the export of copper, but, ns this government is informed, put in force a decree that shipments to Italian consignees or to order which arrive in ports of Italy cannot be eX- ported or trans-shipped. The only ex- ception Italy makes is of copper which passes through that country in transit to another country.
 Copper Shipments.
 "In spite of these decrees howev- CT, the British foreign office has thus far declined to affirm that copper shipments consigned to Italy will not be molested on the high seas. Seiz- ures are so numerous and delays so prolonged that exporters are afraid to send their copper to Italy. steam ship lines decline to accept 1t and in s11rers refuse to issue policies on it. Tn a. word, a legitimate trade is being greatly impaired through uncertainty as to the treatment which it may eX- meet at the hands of the British au- ! thorities.
 We feel that we are abundantly justified in asking for information as to the manner in which the British government proposes to carry out the policy which they have adopted in