Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-08-04


stood the American government
will differentiate from ships on the
high seas and ships which go to
British ports or which attempt to
run blockade lines. The British
argument that American COM
merce has not suffered also will
be contested.
Washington, D. c., Aug. 4.-State
department officials today were pre-
pairing the answer which the United
States will make to Great Britains re-
plies to the latest American represen-
tations against interference with neut-
raj commerce.
Great Britain in her notes, published
today, refuses to accept the American
contention that the orders in council
are illegal and justifies the British
course as being wholly within inter
national law.
Great Britain, it is declared, will
continue to apply the orders in council
but with every effort to avoid embar-
rassment to neutrals.
Blockade is Defended.
1t is denied that international law
is violated by the blockading of neut-
raj ports to cut off an enemy's COM
merce with foreign countries, and
Great Britain declines to allow the free
passage of goods originating in Ger
many and territory under German con-
troll.
Great Britain's reply is embodied in
two notes, one supplemental, and to-
gether with the correspondence over
the American steamer NeChes, seized
by the British while bound from Rot
terdam to the United States with goods
of German origin, also published today,
totals 1000 words.
Key Note of Reply.
Great Britain's refusal to acquiesce
to the American protests on its block
ade is told pointedly in the following
extract from the notes addressed by Sir
Edward Grey:
I'm the various notes which l have
received from your eXcellency (Am-
bassador Page) the right of belliger-
ent to establish a blockade of the
enemy ports is admitted, right which
has obviously no value save insofar as
it gives power to a belligerent to cut
off the sea-borne exports and imports
of his enemy
THE contention which l understand
the United States government now puts
forward is that if belligerent is so
-
pass through adjacent neutral ports as
easily as though ports in his own ter
ritory, his opponent has no right to in
terfere and must restrict his measures
of blockade in such manner as to
leave such avenues of commerce still
open to his adversary.
This is a contention which his ma
jesty's government feels unable to ac-
cept and which seems to them unsus-
tainable either in point Of law or upon
principles of international equity"
The supplemental note is a reply to
the American caveat giving notice that
the United States would not recognize
the orders in council in lieu of inter
national law and defends prize court
proceedings. The United States is in
vited, however, to submit to arbitra-
ton any prize court decision it holds
unjust.
Neches Seizure Justified.
In the case of the steamer Neches,
detained under the orders in council,
the note justifes British stoppage of
commerce from Germany and German
controlled territory on the ground that
Germany has violated international
law in her war on British and neutral
commerce.
An answer to the British notes short
ly will be forthcoming, data for which
has been in course of preparation for
some time.
The German note regarding the sink
ing of the American ship VIM. P Frye
probably will be given out late today
for publication tomorrow morning.