New Britain herald., 1915-12-20
BRITAINNOT GAINING AT EXPENSE OF U. s.
England Makes Public MeInOran-
 dunn Regarding Our Export Trade

Washington, Dec. 20.-Further ar guments and statistics in support of Great Britain's denial of statements that her merchants are profiting by British war restrictions upon com- merce at the expense of American trade have been submitted to tho State Department by the British Em- bassy in a memorandum, which was made public yesterday with a letter of transmittal to Secretary Lansing from Sir Cecil Spring Rice, the Am bassador.
 The memorandum, which is sup elementary to a note on the same SUD- ject handed Am mbassador Page last summer by the London Foreign office, reiterates the assertion that increases in British trade with neutral coun- tries have been infinitesimal compared with the growth of similar American trade. It draws particular attention to figures showing that the increase in exports from the port of New York to the scandinavian countries during the first thirteen months of the war exactly balanced the falling off of New York's exports to Germany.
 A report of the Secretary of the Treasury is quoted to prove that the war has improved rather than in jured American commerce.
 Text of Letter.
 The Ambassadors letter follows:- Dear Mr. Secretary:-
 statements have been widely cir culated in this country to the effect that the trade of the United States has greatly. suffered owing to the\ re- strictive measures taken by the Allies against German commerce and more especially that British merchant and shippers are profiting greatly by the war measures of the British govern nent to the detriment of American n trade.
 "As these statements seem to be largely based upon report emanat- ing from an officer. of your depart ment who had not had access to the official statistics of the United States government, I think it may be useful Tn the interest of a fair and just ap- preciation of the facts (which I am sure IS your object) if I inc1ose a memorandum on the subject of these assertions which is supplementary to that already communicated to you by my government.
 Recalls Civil War.
 "It is not to be expected that the
 
 touched by such world calamity as the present war. and in the case of the American Civil war it will be in your recollection that the inn mediate effect on France and Eng land was an unparalleled industrial crisis which resulted in untold suf- fering to the working classes of those countries, hundreds of thousands being rendered absolutely destitute. It is satisfactory to note from the re- gently published report of the Secre- tary of the Treasury, that wholly apart from war orders, the industrial situation in this country is on a firm, steady and healthy basis.
 With regard to the specific accu- sation against my government that while American trade with neutral countries has been diminished, Brit ish merchants have profited by the war measures to increase their ex- port trade, I beg to recommend to your notice the figures given in the accompanying report, based on the oHlclal returns of American trade puohshed by your government. You Will see that while British trade which mas suHered greatly in it's genera volume has increased to a slfsh extent in certain branches. American trade has increased to a vastly great CT extent.
 "It may be opposite to point OH that British trade does not comnet with American trade in the neutra countries of Europe, as the product or America, sent to those countrie are of a wholly different nature iron those exported from Great Britain. Case of Cotton.
 Tn some cases, which are explain ed in detail in the memorandum ther has been an increase of the export from England but the amount invol i we'd has been infinitesimal as com pared with the volume of America trade in the same articles, and tn increase of the exports from Eng land is explained by accidental cause which involved no loss to the Amer ican exporter. I need only mentio the case of cotton. The export fror England of American cotton increas ed during the first seven months c the year by 1000 bales, largel owing to cotton which was purchas ed by the British government in cor sequence of misapprehension as < the ownership and released to tn k Swedish consignees. Tn the sam months the total exports from Anne,
 ica increased by 2,300,000 bales
 'I trust that it will not be four
 amiss that I ask your considerable
 of the enclosed memorandum whic
 is not communicated in a controve,
 sial spirit, but merely in order to CO
 rect an impression which appears
 have arisen from an imperfect appr,
 citation of the facts.
 Any Specific Instance.
 "I need only add in conclusion th
 if there comes to the knowledge
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