The Detroit times., 1915-01-11

list mas been scruHulouAly' h"'"'e'"'''
Not Conclusive.
"We do not wish 90 lay too nuch
stress on incomplete statistics, tue
figures above are not put foi NaIa as
conclusive and we are prepares 20 eN
anime any further evidence Win irsalI
10 the state OF trade with these neuti1l
countries which may point 90 u't
ferent conclusion. or show 'hal ~ ~
the action OF his majesty SoNerhmtht
! I'm particular. and not the existence OF
a state OF war and consequent dimlnu-
/ tion OF purchasing power ana snilhh
age OF trade. which is responsible lol
adverse effects on trade WIN the neut-
THAT the existence OF a state of war
! on such scale has had very adNersc
effect upon certain great lndus,tfles
submitted that this is due 20 the gem
eral cause OF diminished purchasing
power OF such countries a. fiallNr'
Germany and the United klngdonl,
rather than to interference with trade
with neutral countries. In the matter
OF cotton Il may be recalled that the
British government gave speSial ~
sistanCe through the Liverpool cotton
exchange 10 the renewal ~ trahs",
tions in the cotton trade oi not phlN
the United Kingdom but et many heA-
trail countries.
your eNcellency's note refers in par
ticular TO the detention OF conper.
The figures taken from oihclal re
turns for the export OF copper from the
United states for italy Tor the months
durinS .Nhich the war has been i'm pro-
eress up TO the end of the nrst three
weeks OF December are as toiloWSs6
1918 10 20O,00o pounds 1915 46'2so,sVV
pounds,
Switzerland are not shown separately
for the whole period In the United
states returns. but are included IN the
heading other European that Is
Europe other than the United King
DOM Russia France. Belgium, Austria,
-
Copper Exports High.
The corresponding figures under
this heading are as follows lsid,
Z, ,21l 900 pounds 1914. 35,3i7,000 pounds.
With such figures. the presumption
is very strong that the bulk OF copper
consigned TO these countries has re-
Gently been intended, not for their
own use. but for that OF belligsrent
therefore an imperative necessity for
the safety OF this country While IL Is
at war that his majesty's government
should do all In their power 10 Srop
as is not genuinely destined Tor neu
tral countries
Your excellency does not quote any
particular shipment or copper TO SMe-
den which has been detained There
are, however four consignnents -
Sweden At the present time OF copper
ly consigned TO sweden. are according
10 positive evidence Ia the possession
OF his majestys government. denniteIy
destined for Germany
Capadence In United states.
"I cannot believe that with such ng
ures before them and IN such cases as
those just mentioned, the goNefhinSht
OF the United States would question
the proprIety Of the action OF his ma
jesty's government in taking suspect
ed cargoes TO q prize court ana We aIs
convinced that lt cannot be In accord
with the wish either OF the govern /
ment or OF the people OF the nited |
States to strain the international code
in favor OF private interests so as 10
prevent Great Britain from taking
such legitimate means for this pur-
pose as are I'm her power.
With regard to the i,.ncy seizure oi rssers aSeu
his matesty's government are prepsrsd
10 admit that foodstuffs should not be
detained and put into a prize eourt
without presumption that they are M
tended for the armed forces OF the
enemy government We believe thar /
this rule has been adhered 70 in prsc-
tice hitherto. but, if the United states
has Instances TO the con- |
trary, we are prepared 10 examine 1
them, and 81 Is our present Intention
70 adhere to the tnS,InIt.s Eni nSH Snd uneonai
tiotal undertaking In view OF the de-
parture OF those against whom we are
lighting from hitherto accepted rules
~ civilization and humanity ana the
uncertainty as 10 the extent 10 whicn /
such rules may be violated by them In
future
Ard OF january, the number OF steam.
ships proceeding from the United
states for Holland. Denmark. Nor
way, sweden and Italy has been been Ia Ia
or cargoes placed IN ,ne
prize court, while OF the ships them
selves. only eight have been placed IN
the prize court and one or these mas
since been released
"It Is. however. essential under mod,
ern conditions that where there Is rear
ground for suspecting the presence or
the vessels should he
brought into port for examination, "a
no other way can the right OF search
be exercised. and but for this praetice
I'd would have 10 be completely aoan-
dohed
Information was received by us that
special instructions has been given 10
! hin rubber from the United states un-
der another designation to escape
notice and such cases have occurred
in several instances Only oy search
in a port can such cases. when suspect
ed. be discovered and proved.
THE necessity for examination In
port may also be illustrated by hypo-
instance. connected win COY
ton is not specifically menloned In
your excellency's note. but nave
seen public statements made in the
United states that the attitude OF his
majesty's government with regard 10
cotton has been ambiguous. and there
by responsible for depression IN the
cotton trade
Allegations Denied.
There has never been any founda-
tion for this allegation. His majestys
government have never put cotton on
the list of contraband; they have
l the war kept IL on the free
list. and on every occasion when cues
toned on the point they have stated
their intention OF adhering 70 this
',RUf information has reached Us
that precisely because we have de-
clared our intention OF not interfering
with cotton. ships carrying cotton VIII
be specially selected TO carry concealed
and we have been warned
that copper Will be concealed in bales
OF cotton.
Whatever suspicious we have en-
tertained, we have not SO far made
these "a ground for OBTAINING any ship
cotton; but should we have
Information giving MS real reason 20
believe In the case OF a particular ship |
that the bales OF cotton concealed cop
per or other contraDand, the only way |
TO prove our case would be 20 examine
and weigh the bales "a process that
could be carried out only by bringing |
the vessel into port In such case
or IL examination justified the action or
his majesty's government, the case
shall be brought before prize court
and dealt with In the ordinary way.
Fair 10 Neutrals.
That the decisions Of British prize |
courts hitherto have not been unfavor- |
able TO neutrals IL evidenced by the l
decision in the Miramichi case. This |
case, which was decided against the |
crown. laid down that the American |
had sold cargo H. and when the risk ,
OF loss after the cargo had been ship |
ped did not. apply TO him al all
IT has further been represented 10 |
his maiestys government though this |
subject is not dealt with In your ex- |
cellency's note, that our embargoes on |