New-York tribune., 1915-03-21

ing the validity of certain blockades declared
by the forces of Brazil, the position of Great
Britain as well as that of the United States,
was that blockade to be binding must be
effective.
When the United States naval forces block
AIDED the west coast of Mexico, in 1886, Mr.
Mason, Sec-etary of the Navy, in circular
to the commanding officers Of our navy in the
Pacific, declared that
under Commander Stockton's general notifca-
ton no part of the west coast of Mexico is re-
garded as blockaded unless there is sufficient
American force to maintain tt
And President Mckinley, in his proclama-
ton on April 26, 1908, regarding the maritime
law to be observed by the United States in the
conflict with Spain, adhering to the uniform
position of our government, quoted the Dec
laration of Paris, declaring that blockades, in
order to be binding, must be effective"
Franklin Pierce, President in 1856, approved
this clause of the Paris document, to which
the United States was not party
POLICY HAS BEEN DISAPPROVED BY
MARITIME POWERS.
1t appears, therefore, that by assuming the
right to "detain and take into port ships car
rying goods of presumed enemy destination,
ownership or origin" Great Britain and France
pursue a policy unprecedented except during
Napoleon's time policy which since has been
the object of disapproval by the maritime
powers, a policy which now threatens the
status of international custom as between the
United States and powers with which she is
at peace.
The British Order in Council Of last week
emphasized that the new allied measures are
in retaliation for Germany's declaration OF
maritime military area around the United
Kingdom. On this point the order reads in
part:
such attempts on the part of the enemy give TO
his majesty unquestioned right Of retaliation.
The German governments creation of this
military area was declared to be
in violation of the usages of war.
In this connection it is important to note
that Germany's submarine warfare was de-
clared by Germany to be aimed at British COM
merce only; that German submersible craft
have not attacked American merchant vessels
trading with England; that Germanys an
nouncement of this method of warfare re-
stricted it to British coastal waters, and that
since the establishment by Germany OF this
military area American merchant ships have
been permitted to reach England.
RECOGNIZED METHODS ADOPTED
IN THE EAST AFRICAN BLOCKADE.
England and France resorted to the recog-
nzed methods of blockading last month in
the case of German East Africa. They spec-
hed date when their warships would make
commercial intercourse by sea with this Ger
man possession impossible within defined geo.
graphical limits, with a specified period pro-
claimed within which neutral vessels might be
free to leave the territory
Great Britain and France have more than
one hundred battleships of all classes, includ-
ing battle cruisers, built and building, as COM
pared with fewer than seventy, built and build
ing, possessed by Germany and Austria. The
German coast line is 1870 miles in length
ze3 miles on the North Sea and o27 miles on
the Baltic Sea. The British Order in Council
of last Monday did not mention that the re-
talstory measures OF the Allies were 70 be
confined to the German coast; where neutral
vessels were to be halted was not specified.
blockade must not exist beyond the ports or
coasts belonging to or occupied by the enemy
So declared Article I OF the Declaration of
London