The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-25
Transmits Memorandum on Inconvenience to Com merce as Result of Recent Order in Council
MAKE NO ATTEMPT
 TO ANSWER CLAIMS
 OF UNITED STATES
Great Britain Forced to Take Action, Is Claim, and Is Helping Neutral Trade Where Possible

Washington, June 24-Grent Britt ain, in n memorandum transmitted to the United States and made public in London, transmits at length its efforts to minimize inconvenience to neutral commerce resulting from the order in council against trade with Germany, Austria and Turkey and asserts that American citizens have just grounds for complaint on account of the trent ment accorded to their cargoes.
 No attempt is made to answer the prin- eiples asserted in the American note of March 2 protesting against the order in council and insisting upon the right of neutrals to carry on legitimate commerce with each other and to trade in non-con- traband with civilians in belligerent coun- tries. In transmitting the memorandum Ambassador Page said it was merely an explanation of concrete cases and the reg ulations under which they are dealt with ''
 Prepare Another Note
 Another note to Great Britain is now in course of preparation at the state de- partment and is expected to be dis patched as soon as the negotiations with Germany over submarine warfare have been cleared up. While this communities ton probably will make reference to the latest memorandum, it is understood that the manner of enforcing the order in council will not be treated as relevant to the question at issue--whether there is int, powers that Great Britain and her allies have assumed to exercise over the com merce of the world.
 In it's memorandum the foreign office emphasizes the various special conces- sions made in favor of United States cit- zens'' in setting forth that all British off cials have acted in every case with the utmost dispatch consistent with the ob- ject in view and of showing in every case such consideration for neutrals as might be compatible with the object, namely, to prevent vessels from carrying goods for, or coming from, the enemy's territory"
 Arrangements for buying American cot ton detained and for permitting the pas sage of goods bought in Germany by Americans before the date of the order in council are outlined and the promise made that consideration will be given to special cases of this kind in the future.
 According to a summary of ships de- tained there are now 27 vessels which cleared from the United States now held in ports of the United Kingdom. Of these eight are said to be unloading cotton which Great Britain has agreed to pur- chase, seven will be allowed to depart as soon as items of their cargo placed in a prize court have been discharged, and the other 12--three of them American ships are the subject of investigations not yet completed.
 Seek to Avoid Delay
 His majesty's government" the mem orandum concludes, lis earnestly desirous of removing all causes of unavoidable de- lay in dealing with American cargoes and vessels which may be detained, and any specific inquiries or representations which may be made by the United States gov ernment in regard to particular cases Will always receive the most careful consider ation and all the information which can be afforded without prejudice to prize court proceedings will be readily com municated; but they can scarcely admit that on the basis of actual facts any sub stantial grievance on the part of American citizens is justified or can be sustained, and they, therefore, confidently appeal to the opinion of the United States govern ment as enlightened by this memoran- dum.'
 Following is the text of the memor- andum as transmitted by Ambassador Iage:
 "1 His majestys government have on various occasions and notably in the communication which was addressed to the United States ambassador on March l5, last. given assurance to the United hat make it their first aim to minimize the inconvenience which must inevitably oe caused to neutral commerce from the eX- istence of a state of war at sea, and in particular from the measures taken by the. allied governments for the re- striction of the enemies oversea trade. *His majesty's government desire to offer the following observations re- specting the manner in which they have consistently endeavored to give practi- cal effect to those assurances:
 "2. It will be recalled that. at the moment when his maJesty's government announced their measures againss ,. enemy commerce, they deciared their Antention to refrain altogether from the rsxercise of the right to confiscate ships or cargoes which belligerents had all ways previously claimed in respect of breaches of blockade; that, under arr ticle five CD of the enactment of March Il, 1t was expressly provided tlal any person claiming to be interested III goods placed in the prize court III put suance of the provision of that enact lnent. might forthwith issue w,lt .against,the proper officer of the crown.
 T And thus to remove all possible 27sause of legitimate grievance on ae- arount of delay; and that. finally, pa Stinc assurance was given to the United States government that the instructions to be issued by his. majesty's govern ment to the fleet and to the customs officials and executive officials con cerned would impress upon them the duty of acting with the utmost dis
 tCsntfnued on Page Ninc)