The Washington times., 1915-09-20
Ready to Receive Applications
Of American importers for
Modifying Blockade Order.
PAGE INQUIRIES INTO DELAY
Reported That English Repre-.
sentatives Are Placed In
Embarrassing Situation.

The British embassy u expected to
notify the foreign trade advisers Of the
State Department within the next forty
eight hours that 1t will receive from
the advisers applications Of American
importers for q modification Of the
British blockade order. permitting Aus
trian and German goods. contracted for
prior to the date Of the order. to pass
to America through neutral ports.
On the highest authority It was also
learned today that American Ambassa-
dor Page. acting on orders Of the State
Department. had demanded Of the Brit
ish government q reason for its delay
In putting into effect q modification Of
the order in council which was prom
ised on September g.
Page in his report to the State De-
partment. laid before officials today.
said the British government. had agreed
to order its embassy hero TO receive ap-
plications from Americans who wish
ed to share in tho order and the state
Department was certain today that the
delay over settlement Of these cases
was now ended.
Department Not Notified.
Despite the promise Of the British
government on September s. to modify
the blockade order within q few days"
to allow Austrian and German goods
contracted for prior to the blockade
order to proceed to America via
neutral ports. and despite the statement
made at that time to Ambassador Page
that such applications would be re-
ceived by the British embassy here
through the State Departments trade
advisers. the Department to daote has
received no notification from the en-
bassv Of Its willingness to receive such
documents.
The impression prevailed in official
circles that the British government, in
spite OF such assurances to the Ameri-
can applications from the trade advis-
bassy here In an embarrassing situa-
tion through a failure to formally and
expressed Intentions.
The British ambassador. naturally.
had no authority to invite such Ameri-
can APPLICATIONS from the trade advis-
ers. and the trade advisers would not
forward the documents proving con-
tracts for goods prior to the date OF
order. unless the embassy formally ex-
pressed Its willingness to receive such
documents.
Result, 100 Applications.
The net result Of the dilatory tao
tics OF Great Britain was the accumu.
lation Of more than 100 applications
at the office of the trade advisers
here at Washington. These applica-
tions were still on hand today. but
bassy, acting on orders from home,
would signify in writing to the State
Department. its Willingness to receive
such proofs. Such action was expect
ed to mark the end Of the long delay
over this matter and American i'm
porters were expected to receive their
bassy could pass upon the proofs Of
1t was also learned. however, that
Great Brttain's latest assurances to the
ambassador were the result Of vigorous
informal negotiations with the British
foreign office, which took place fol-
lowing the confirmation by Consul Gen.
that private British interests were OBJ
tanning notifications Of the blockade
order which British delay and red tape
methods were denying to Americans.
No statement was obtainable from
the British embassy today on this point
In connection with the New York
Worlds charges that Great Britain was
blacklisting American purchasers Of
British raw material who refused to
Britain wished them sold, Sir Richard
Crawford. commercial attache OF the
embassy. would make no statement nor
would discuss the subject in any way