Evening star., 1915-01-11

De brought INTO port IOT AdHiIhdtiOu'
in no other way can the right OF search
be exercised, and but for this practice
it would have to be completely aban-
doned
Rubber Under False Manifests.
Information was received by US that
special instructions had been given to
ship rubber from the United States un-
der another designation to escape no.
tice, and such cases have occurred In
several instances. Only by search In
a port can such cases. when suspected
be discovered and proved. The neces-
sity for examination in port may also
be illustrated by a hypothetical m
stance connected with cotton, which
has not yet occurred.
Cotton Is not specifically mentioned
In your excellency's note. but ! nave
seen public statements made in the
United States that the attitude OF his
majesty's government with regard to
cotton has been ambiguous, and there
by responsible for depression In the
cotton trade. There has never been
any foundation for this allegation. His
majesty's government have never put
cotton on the list of contraband: they
have throughout the war kept 1t on the
free list; and. on every occasion when
stated their intention of adhering to
this practice. But information has
reached US that precisely because we
have declared our intention OF not m
terfering with cotton. ships carrying
cotton will be specially selected to car
ry concealed contraband: and we nave
been warned that copper will be con-
cealed in bales OF cotton.
whatever suspicious we have enter
tained. we have not SO far made these
a ground for OBTAINING any ship carry
ing cotton; but, should we have IN
formation giving US real reason to pc
lieve in the case of particular snip
that the bales Of cotton concealed cop
per or other contraband. the only way wa
to prove our case would be to examine
and weigh the bales. a process that
could be carried out only by bringing
the vessel into port. In such case.
or II examination justified the action
of his majesty's government the case
shall be brought before a prize court
and dealt with in the ordinary way.
Prize Courts Decisions.
THAT the decisions OF British prize
courts hitherto have not been unfavor-
able to neutrals is evidenced by the
decision 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 a cargo c.if.. and when the
shipped did not apply to him at all
1T has further been represented to
his majesty's government. though this
subject is not dealt with in your ex-
cellency's note, that our embargoes on
the export of some articles. more
especially rubber, have interfered with
commercial interests in the United
States. 1t is. of course. difficult for his
matesty's government to permit the ex-
port Of rubber from British dominions
to the United States at time when
rubber is essential to belligerent coun-
tries for carrying on the war, and when
a new trade in exporting rubber from
quantities to neutral countries has ac-
tually sprung up since the war 1t
would be impossible to permit the ex-
port of rubber from Great Britain un-
less the right of his matesty's govern
ment were admitted to submit to a
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
action for this purpose were conceded.
But his majesty's government have now
Professionally come to an arrangement
with the rubber exporters in Great
Britain. which will permit Of licenses
being given under proper guaranteed
for the export of rubber to the United
States.
ing danger that neutral countries con-
tiguous to the enemy will become on a
scale hitherto unprecedented base
of supplies for the armed forces of our
enemies and for materials for manu-
featuring armament. The trade fig
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
as we are aware have not departed
fVs>sti ifry vr
endeayor in 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 fide' neu-
trail
Suppressed Manifests.
Since the outbreak of the war the
government of the United States have
changed their previous practices and
have prohibited the publication Of
manifests till thirty days after the de-
parture Of vessels from the United
States ports. We had no locus standr
for complaining of this change. and
did not complain. But the effect of it
must be to increase the difficulty of as
certaining the presence of contrabapd,
and to render necessary in the inter-
ests of our national safety the exam
ination and detention Of more ships
than would have been the case II the
former practice had continued.
Pending a more detailed reply 1
would conclude by saying that his ma
iesty's government do not desire to
contest the general principles of law,
on which they understand the note of
the United States to be based. and de-
sire to restrict their action solely to
with contraband destined
for the enemy. His majesty's govern
ment are prepared, whenever a cargo
coming from the United States is de-
tanned, to explain the case on which
such detention has taken place and
would gladly enter into any arrange
ment by which mistakes can be avoided
and reparation secured promptly when
any injury to the neutral owners of a
ship or cargo has been improperly
caused. for they are most desirous in
the interest of both 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.
II have the honor to be. with the
highest consideration. your excellency's
moot ohedient humble servant