Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-04-06

Text 0f American Reply.
| Tho text ~ the note % Great Brit
lain follows
The secretary n state. 70 the Am
lcrican ambassador AZ London.
| Washington. March 80. 1915.
"foB are Instructed 10 deliver the
following 20 ME najesiys govern
ineni IN reply 10 Your numbers 1875
land i1ss ~ March To-
The government q the United
states has given carefai consideration
ttn the subjects treated IN the British
notes ~ March ! , and March u and
l 90 the British order IN council - the
llaiier date
These communications contain
matters ~ grave importance % neu-
trial nations They appear 10 menace
their rights uf trade and intercourse
not ousy with bell.Rerents but also
with one another They call FOR
frank comment IN order that misun-
Iderstandings may Be- avoided. The
government II the United states
deems is dniy. therefore. speaking IN
the siucerest spirit of friendship. 90
make ~ own view and position with
regard thereto unmisiakabiy clear.
Disputes British Right.
The order in council ~ tho 18th
% March would constitute. were its
provisions 20 BE- actually carried into
effect as they stand. " practical as
serflon Of unlimited belligerent rights
over neutral commerce within the
whole European area and an almost
unqualified denial II the sovereign
rights II the nations now az peace.
This government takes ID for
granted that there can be no ques-
ton what those risufs are. 4 ma
lions sovereignty over is own ships
and citizens under ~ own flag on
the high seas IN time ~ peace i. Of
course. unlimited and that sovereign
IS suffers no diminuti0n IN time Of
war. except insofar as the practice
and consent % civilized nations has
limited il hy the recognition Of GER
tain n0w clearly determined rights,
which IL is conceded may be eNercis-
"a by nations which are az war.
Conceded Belliecrcnt Rights.
a hellgereHt nation has been con-
coded The right II visit and search
and the right II capture and cOndem-
nation. II upon examination a neutral
vessel b. found 10 be engaged ia un-
neutral service or 10 he carrying con-
trahaud ~ var intended for the ene-
my'e government or armed forces. IL
has been conceded the right o. estab-
lish and maintain a blockade Of an
enemy's ports and coasts and "a cap
ture and rondemn any vessel taken
in trying e. break the blockade II
+ even conceded the right To detain
and take 70 is own ports Tor judi
ciai examination all vessels which u
suspects far substantial reasons To
he engaged IN unueutral or contra
band service and condemn them II
the suspicion j. sustained. But such
rights. long clearly defined both IN
doctrine and practice have hitherto
been held to be the only permissible
exception 20 the principle ~ uniyer-
sal equality 81 sovereignty on the
high seas as between belligerents and
nations not engaged IN war.
Further Clear Definition.
IT Is confidently assumed that his
majestys government viii not deny
that Il Is rule sanctioned by gen.
eral practice that, even though a
blockade should exist and the doctrine
Of coutrahand as r. unblOckaded ter
fitory be rigidly enforced innocent
shipments may he freely transported
to and from the United States
ent territory without being subject
to the penalties u contra hand traffic
or breach of blockade. much less to
detention. requsition or confiscation. /
Moreover. the rules Of the dccla- I
ration Of Paris 81 is5s--among them 1
that free ships make free gnods--Yili /
hardly at this day be disputed by the
slEnatories " that solemn agreement. /
Cites supreme Court opinion.
etIls mafesty's government. like the /
II the United STATES. have
Cften aud explicitly held that these /
rights support the best usage 81 war 1
fare In the dealings 81 helligerents /
with neufrais az sea. In this counec- /
ton / desire e. direct attention 10 tho ]
opinion of the chief justice Of the I
United states ln the ease 81 the Pc
iefhof. which arose out Of the civil I
War and TO the fact that opinion was
sustained in the award
Il tina arbitration commission Of 1871 +
20 which the case was presented az ,
the request Of Great britain. From
hat time to the declaration 81 Lon
30n 81 1903, adopted with modifica-
tons by he order iu council ~ the i
agd Of October last. these rights have
not been seriously questioned hv the
British government And no claims
IN the part nf Great Brlta 81 any
for interfering with these
rights ~ the United States and its cit-
xens as neurnls could be admitted.
70 admit u would be to assume an at
.ltude Of unueutrality toward the
present enemies OF Great Britain
which would be obviously Inconsistent
with the solemn obligations Of this
government In the present circnm-
stances. and for Great Britain 20
make such a claim would he for her
10 abandon ana set at Raught the
principle for which she has cansis-
.eutly and earnestly Cnntcnded IN
other times and circumstance
Unprecedented Assumption.
The note 81 his maiesty's princl-
pal secretary ~ state for foreign af-
AIRS which ACCOMPANIES the order In
council and which bears the same
late. notified the government OF tho
United States " the establishment of
q BLOCKADE. wHieh Is defined ~ the
erms of The order council, % In
'lude all the coasts and ports u Ger
many and every port ~ possible dC-
'ess to enemy territory. d}nt the
novel and qnitc unprecedented feature
NJ that blockade e we are ta assume
Il - hc properly So defined g. that Y
embraces many neutral ports and
coasts. bars access o. them, and sab
Iects ass neutral ships seeking 10 ap-
preach them 90 the same suspicion
that would attach g. them were they
bound for the ports of the enemies
F Ef.I4 Ia "a 4 a -.