New Britain herald., 1915-02-18

''TowardS the close of your note of the 2Sth of December, your excel lency described the situation pro- duced by the action of Great Britain as a pitiful one to the commercial in forests of the United States and said that many of the great industries of the country were suffering because tEeir products were denied long es- tablished markets in neutral European countries contiguous to the nations at war.
 "Itis unfortunately true that in these days, when trade and finance are cosmopolitan, any war, particularly q war of any magnitude, must result in a grievous diSlOcatiOn of commerce, including that of the nations which take no part in the war. Your eX- ccllency will realize that in this tre- mend ous struggle for the outbreak of which Great Britain is no way re- sponsible, it is impossible for the trade ot any country to escape all injury and loss, but for such his majesty's government are notto blame"
 Sir Edward then points out that only eight out of 773 ships sailing from the United States for neutral European countries have been placed in the prize courts and that only forty five have been temporarily detained to enable particular cOnsignments of cargo to be discharged for the pur- pose of prize court proceedings.'
 Export situation.
 The note does not gC into detail as to American ships detained on the high seas or taken to British ports for search. The next paragraph analyses the statistics of imports from the United States and makes the observa- tion that ''it is, therefore. clear that if cotton be excluded, the effect of the war has been not to increase, but practically to arrest the decline of American exports which was in pro- gress earlier in the year, in fact any decrease in American exports which is attributed to the war is essentially due to cOttOn.'
 Pointing out that Great Britain has never declared cotton contraba or irterfered with it's shipment the note then remarks that imports of cotton to the United Kingdom fell as heavily as those to other countries and the same mo doubt was true of France"
 "The general result" it continues, lis to show convincingly that the naval operations of Great Britain are not the cause of any diminution in the volume of American exports, and that if the commerce of the United States is in the unfavora ble condition which your eXcellency describes, the cause ought in fairness to be sought else where than in the activities of his ma iesty's naval forces"
 Moreover, the British communica- ton contends that even though trade
  allies has diminished from normal, the commerce with neutral countries as compared with previous years has been maintained and the inference "may fairly be drawn'' that a Sub stantial part of this trade was in fact intended for the enemy countries, go- ing through neutral ports by routes to which it was previously unaccus- toned"
 Shortage of Shipping.
 Taking up some of the "inconven1- ences to which this great war is eX- posing the commerce of all neutral countries" the note points out that undoubtedly the "serious shortage in shipping availa ble for ocean transport and the consequential result of eXces- sive freights" have had much to do
 
 tered that Great Britain's activity has brought about this shortage, for it is added that only ten neutral vessels are awaiting adjudication in prize court. Great Britain declares that she, too, is suffering from the shortage of shipping and a rise in freight 'as acutely if not more than other na- tions" and has taken every step con- sistent with belligerent interests to in- crease the tonnage available for the transport of sea-borne commerce.
 Destruction of Neutral Ships.
 The hope is expressed that the United States will realize that the de- tention of neutral ships by the allies has not contributed not nearly so much to the shortage of shipping as "has the destruction of neutral ves- sels by submarine mines indiscrimi- nately laid by the enemy on the high seas, many miles from the coast, in the track of merchant vessels
 Up till now,'' continues the note, Twenty-Five neutral vessels have been reported as destroyed by mines on the high seas; quite apart from all ques- tionS of the breach of treaties and the destruction of life, there is far more reason for protest on the score of bel ligerent interference with innocent neutral trade through the mines scat tered by the enemy than through the British exercise of the right of seizing Contraband.'
 Discussing tho general proposition that a belligerent is entitled to cap- ture contraband goods on their way