Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-07-02
BRITAIN DEFENDS ACT
ENGLAND EXPLAINS SEIZURE OF
SHIPS TO U. S. BUT DOES
NOT ANSWER PROTEST.
BLOCKADE TO BE frightened
Avoids Answer to Chief Issues Raised
by American Government-Seek to
End Diplomatic Discussion of Cues
tIon-No Relief Is Seen.

Washington, June 26.-Lord Crewe's
memorandum to Ambassador Page,
dealing with the complaint of deten4
ton of American cargoes bound for
neutral ports, was made public on
Thursday by the state department.
State department officials would not
comment on the memorandum. In the
opinion of experts on international
law who have followed the controversy
between the two governments. the
memorandum is not of a character to
afford much satisfaction. 1t holds out
little expectation of material relief to
American commerce from the hard
ships inflicted upon it by British segu-
lations and violation of the prime Piles
Of international law as pointed out by
the United States in its note of
March 80. Consequently its effect,
II is believed, will be rather to sharp
en- the edge of the issue between the
two governments.
In his note of t~ransmittal, Ambas-
sador Page says that the memoran-
~AA 10 W. AAlNbQGu M I'LL A. ~
the principles set forth in the note
of March 30, but merely an ''explana-
ton of concrete cases and the regula-
tons under which they are dealt with"
The British memorandum made
public Thursday contains distinct de-
NAL OF certain rights for which the
United States in the note of March
30 contends. SO 10 an extent al least
n toust be taken as an answer 10 that
note.
in the note of March 80 the United
States asserted that a nations SOW
sreignty we its ships at sea suffered
~ diminution IL times of war Eek
eept in so far as che practice and con-
sent of civilized nations has limited It
By the recognition Of certain clear
" defiLed rights which ii is conceded
may be exercised by nations which
r at war" these admitted rights
OF the belligerents are visit and
search, capture and condemnation II
visit and search reveals contraband,
an finally the right of blockade OF
enemy ports.
The complaint of the United States
was that the interference of Great
Britain was not confined within these
rights. but went far beyond them.
The principal complaint of the United
States has been that Great Britain
has held up American cargoes of non
co%ntraband to the great detriment OF
American trade with neutral coun.
tries.
The British offer to pay has not
been accepted by the United States as
full recompense and it certainly has
NOT been regarded as j%ustifying such
h~igh-handed action.
Lord Crewe in his memorandum
makes no reference to the principles
of international law which the United
States demanded that Great Britain
respect and in the view taken here
seeks to override the American pro
test. He details the concessions
which he says Great Britain has made
to American commerce. such for in
stance as the payment of e450, 900 tc
various American shippers of cotton.
Two paragraphs of Lord Crewe's
memorandum we're considered of spe
cial Importance as indicating that
Great Britain intends to tighten
rather than loosen, her blockade
These we're:
His majesty's government will bt
prepared herafter to give special con
sideration TO cases presented to then
-uH tryNlyfuu - ortfouIor hord.Ls~o a.
the goods concerned are required fol
neutral governments or municipalities
OF in respect OF works Of public utilit,
and where payment can be shown :,
have been made before the first O
March, 1915.
with the above exceptions hi
majesty's government regret the,
cannot continue to deal through tn
diplomatic channel with individua
cases. but they would again point on
that special provision is made for tn
consideration Of such cases in tn
prize court"
Paragraph 16 was taken to mea
that hereafter the United States woul
experience greater difficulty in gettin
any goods from any port which Grea
Britain regards as an enemy por
and paragraph II is taken to be motto
hat Great Britain intends to en-
further diplomatic discussion OF he
seizures.
The British embassy announced this
in cases where II was impossible &c
American shippers to get goods out {
Germany before June is the time ha
been extended. II will be necessar,
however. for shippers to show tn:
they had not time up to June Is to z,
their goods out of Germany.
Would Gust Big F~lnanciers.
Tondon Iune 25-Effnrfq ware m,