The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-04

Refers to Civil War
 Sir Edward Grey then refers to the American civil war blockade of 5000 miles of coast with small number of vessels and recalls how the United States finally took recourse to block adlng 'neighboring neutral territory which afforded convenient centers from which contraband could be introduced into Confederate territory and from which blockade running could be faci1- itated.'
 Your excellency will no doubt re- member" wrote Sir Edward, "how. in order to meet this new difficulty the old principles relating to contraband and blockade were developed and the doctrine of continuous voyage was ap- piled and enforced, under which goods destined for the enemy territory were intercepted before they reached the neutral ports from which they were to be re-exported.
 "The difficulties which imposed upon the United States the necessity of shaping some of the old rules are somewhat akin to those with which the allies are now faced in dealing with the trade of their enemy. Adjacent to Germany are various neutral countries which afford her con venient opportunities for carrying on hsr trade with foreign countries, Her own territories are covered by net work fOl 1duWdyS anu WdItTWdySs WflCn dIdbtc her commence to pass as conveniently , through ports in such neutral countries as though her own. blockade limited to enemy ports would leave open routes by which every kind of German commerce could pass almost as easily as through the ports in her own territory.
 Rotterdam an Outlet Rotterdam Is indeed the nearest outlet for some of the industrial districts of Ger many. It seems accordingly that if 1t be recognized that a blockade is in certain cases the appropriate method of intercept ing the trade of an enemy country, and if the blockade can only become effective by extending it to enemy commerce pass ing through neutral ports such an exten- sion is defensble and in accordance with principles which have met with general acceptance"
 The note then refers to the case of the British ship Springbook, seized by United States cruisers during the civil war while bound for the British West Indies, be- cause her cargo, 1t was charged, was to be transshipped to the Confederate states. The supreme court of the United Etates sustained the seizure against the condem- nation of a group of prominent interna- tional lawyers, although the United States and British governments took the broader view and recognized the development of the older method of blockade No pro- test was made by Great Britain.
 Important to General Interest
 What is really important in the gen.
 era interest,"" says the note, lis that
 adaptations of the old rules should
 not be made unless they are consis-
 tent with the general principle upon
 which an admitted belligerent right is
 based It is also essential that all un-
 necessary injury to neutrals should be lad be safely affirmed that the steps we are taking to intercept commodities on their way to and from Germany fully comply We are interfering with no goods with which we should not be en- titled to interfere by blockade if the geological position and the conditions of Germany at present were such that her commerce passed through her own ports. We are taking the utmost pos sible care not to interfere with com merce genuinely destined for or pro- cedng from neutral countries. Fur thermore, we have tempered the se- verty with which our measures might press upon neutrals by not applying the rule which was invariable in the old form of blockade, that ships and goods on their way to or from the blockade area are liable to condemnation" Reviews at Length The note reviews at some length various forms in which blockades have been main tained to show there has been nj unifor .l- ity of practice in essential points, and de- clares:
 The one principle which is fundamen- tai and has obtained universal recognition Is that by means of blockade a belligerent is entitled to cut off by effective means the sea-borne commerce of his enemy" Consequently, Sir Edward argues, 1t is impossible to maintain that the right of a belugerent to intercept the commerce of his enemy can be limited in the way sug- rested in the American notes on the sub- i! ject.
 There are many cases" he says. fin | which proofs that the goods were enemy property would afford strong evidence destination, and it is only in such cases 1 that we are detaining them. Where proof of enemy ownership would afford no evil dence of such origin or destination, we 1 are not in practice of detaining the I goods
 l Sir Edwards note closes with the ob- servation that figures of recent months show that the increased opportunities | a fyorded by the war for American com merce have more than compensated for | the loss of the German and Austrian mar kets. We shall continue to apply these measures with every desire to occasion the least possible amount of inconveni- cnce to persons engaged in legitimate commerce..
 1 In the supplemental note. which re- piles to the American caveat giving notice
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