Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-01-29

formation giving us real reason to be
linve in the case Of particular ship
that the bales of cotton concealed cop
per or other cOntraband. the only way
to prove our ease would be to ex
anime and weigh the bales. process
tha. could be carried out only by bring
Ing the vessel into port. In such
case, if examination juStifies the &C.
ton Of his majesty's government, the
case shall be brought before prize
court and dealt with in the ordinary
way.
Prize Courts Liberal.
That the decisions of British prize
courts hitherto have not been unfavor
able to neutrals is evidenced by the de-
cision in the Miramichi case. This
case. which was decided against the
crown, laid down that the American
shipper was to be paid even when he
had sold cargo. cost. insurance and
freight. and when the risk of loss after
the cargo had been shipped did not ap-
ply to him at all
1t has further been represented to
his majesty's government. though TINS
subject Is not dealt with in your eX
cellency's note, that our embargoes on
the export of some articles, more eS
pecially rubber. have interfered with
commercial interests in the United
States. 1t Is, of course. difficult FOR
his majesty's government to permit
the export of rubber from British do
minions to the United States at time
when rubber Is essential to belligerent
countries for carrying on the war. and
when new trade in exporting rubber
from the United States in suspiciously
large quantities to neutral countries has
actually sprung up since the war.
1t would be impossible to permit the
export of rubber from Great Britain
unless the right Of his majesty's gov
eminent were admitted to submit to
prize court cargoes Of rubber exported
from the United States which they be-
lieved to be destined for an enemy
country and reasonable latitude of nc
ton for this purpose were conceded
But, his majesty's gov ernment has
now Professionally come to an arrange
ment with the rubber exporters IN
Great Britain which will permit OF u
censes being given under proper guar
antees for the export OF rubber to the
United States.
We are confronted with the CROWN.
danger that neutral countries, contigu
Gus to the enemy. will become on a
scale hitherto unprecedented base OF
supplies for the armed soldiers of our
enemies and for materials for manu-
featuring armament The trade dg
ures Of imports show how strong this
tendency Is. but we have no complaint
to make of the attitude Of the govern
ments Of those countries. which. SO far
us we are aware. have not departed
from proper rules Of neutrality. We
endeavor III the interest of our own
national safety to prevent this danger
by intercepting goods really destined
for the enemy without interfering with
those which are bona tide" neutral.
Handicap In Manifests
Since the outbreak Of the war the
government of the United States has
changed it's previous practice und
has prohibited the publication IT man
ifests till thirty days after the de
parture Of vessels from the United
States ports. We had no ''locus standi''
for complaining Of this change and
did not complain. But the effect Of It
must be to increase the difficulty Of as
pertaining the presence Of contraband
and to render necessary In the interests
of our national safety the examination
and detention OF more ships than
would have been the case II the fOrme,
practice had continued.
Pending a more detailed reply.
would conclude by saying that his
majesty's government does not desire
to contest the general principles Of law
on which 1t understands the note of
the United States to be based and de-
sires to restrict its action solely to IN
references with cOntraband destined
for the enemy,
His majesty's government IL pre-
pared. whenever a cargo coming from
the United States is detained to ex
plain the case on which such detention
has taken place and would gladly en-
ter into any arrangement by which
mistakes can he avoided and repara
ton secured promptly when any in
Jury to the neutral owners Of ship
or cargo has been Improperly caused,
for 1t is most DESTROYS. In the In
terest both of the United States and Of
other neutral countries. that British
action should not interfere with the
normal Importation and use by the
neutral countries OF goods from the
United States
have the honor to be. with the
highest consideration. your excellen