Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-02-18
England Lays Blame
At Door of PrussianS
Continued From Page one.)


note is about ten thousand words long
and includes not only statistical argu-
ments, but a further discussion of the
| legal principles involved. Foremost,
however, is the denial of the British
government that the depression in
American industries referred to in the
| American note, was due to the alleged
/ interference of the British fleet with
| American commerce, or "the result of
any exercise Of belligerent rights"
| Since the presentation of the pre-
| liminarv note Sir Edward states that
| he has had further opportunity Of
examining into the trade statistics of
| the United States as embodied i'm the
customs returns, in order TO see
whether the belligorent action of
Great Britain has been in any way
| the cause of trade oppression which
| your eXcellency Ambassador Page)
| describes as existing in the United
States and also whether the seizures
| Of vessels or cargoes which have been
made by the British navy have in
hicted any loss on American owners
for which our existing machinery pro-
Vdes no means Of redress"
'In setting out the results of my
| Investigation" writes the British sec
retary. II think it we'll to take the
! opportunity Of giving a general review
of the methods employed by his ma
| jestys government to intercept con-
| traband trade with the enemy, of their
consistency with the admitted right OF
a belligerent to intercept such trade,
and also Of the extent to which they
have endeavored to meet the repre-
sentations and complaints from item
to time addressed to them on behalf
of the United States government,
Interference Natural.
Towards the close Of your note Of
the 2Sth of December your eXcellency
described the situation produced by
the action Of Great Britain as a pitt
full one to the commercial interests Of
the United States and said that many
of the great industries of the country
were suffering because their products
were denied long established markets
in neutral European countries con-
tiguous to the nations at war.
"It Is unfortunately true that in
these days, when trade and finance
are cosmopolitan, any war partlcu-
larly war of any magnitude, must
result In a grieyious dislOcation Of
commerce. including that of the ma
tions which take no part In the war.
Your eXcellency will realize that in
this tremendous struggle, for the out
break Of which Great Britain Is no
way responsible. II is impossible for
tho trade OF any country TO escape all
injury and loss, but for such his ma
jesty's government are not TO blame
II do not understand the paragraph
which | have quoted from your excel
lency's note as referring to these in
direct consequences of the state OF
war, but to the more prOximate and
direct effect Of our belllgerent action
in dealing with neutral ships and car
goes on the high seas. Such action
has been limited to vessels on their
way TO enemy ports or ports in neu-
tral countries adjacent TO the theatre
OF war, because 1t is only through
such ports that the enemy introduces
the supplies which he requires for car
rying on the war;
Sir Edward then points out that
only eight out of 773 ships sailing
from the United States for neutral
European countries have been placed
In the prize courts and that only 45
have been temporarily detained to
enable particular cOnsignments OF
cargo TO be discharged for the purpose
OF prize court proceedings"
Cotton Not Contrabsnd.
The note does not go into detail as
to American ships detained on the
high seas or taken to British ports for
search. The next paragraph analyzes
the statistics OF exports from the
United states and makes the observa-
tions that 1T Is therefore clear that,
II cottOn he excluded the effect of ths