The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-01-14
UNITED STATES MAKES PROTEST.
Naval Stores Once Declared kOn-COn.
trabdnd Now Under EMBARGO.

Naval Stores Once Declared KOn.COn.
traband Now Under Embargo.
Warrington, Jan. 2.-Whi!e no
word came from Ambassador Page
today as to the character of the re-
ply Great Britain will make to the
American protest against interfer-
ence with American trade, there
were several developments in the
general shipping situation. /
The United States asked Great
Britain for information as to how
the British statement in November
that naval stores would be regarded
as non-contraband would be recon-
ciled in actual practice with the
British notification of a week ago
that these products are now abso-
lutte contraband. Information is
sought as to how cargoes now en-
route are to be affected.
The case Of the steamship Brindil-
la, originally detained at Halifax
and re-arrested on her return jour-
ney from Egypt and taken to a
French port, is looked on as likely
to produce complications.
Should the question of change of
registry be raised, precedent may
be set, for, while Great Britain has
recognized transfers when of a bon
aide nature. the attitude of France
has never been declared.
The communication which the
State Department sent today con-
cerning the naval stores is said to be
the first protest on specific articles
listed by Great Britain as absolute
contraband. Governors and Sena-
tors of several States were notified
of the naval stores protest. Rosin
and turpentine had been intended
for ballast with cotton cargoes and
the British Government is on record
as stating the cargoes 80 made up
would not be regarded as contra
band. The State Department had
no sooner sent notification to this
effect to shippers than the British
Foreign Office published the new
edict.
Although this phase of the situa.
ton was not specifically mentioned
in the recent American note, it was
generally understood to have been 9
contributory reason for the dispatch
of the document.
The Italian Ambassador Informed
the State Department that while
statistics would make it appear that
extraordinary amounts Of copper
shipped from the United States tt
Italy might be for unneutral pur
p >ses, the fact was that as Germany
needed her own copper, Italy coule
no longer import from countries i'm
mediately north of her but must de
pend on the United States for th'
metal.
To prevent recurrence Of charge
that American shippers had beel
concealing copper and contraban'
articles in cotton and other non-con
traband cargoes the following form
al notice supplementary to Presiden
Wilson's warning of last week, wa
issued today by Secretary Red6eld:
! '"The attention of shippers o
goods to neutral countries is calle
to the Importance of having mani
tests complete and accurate. 1t
essential also to avoid mixing cor
traband goods in cargoes otherwis
not contraband. 1t is alleged the
some American manifests have omi
ted certain eontraband goods, ais
that efforts have been made to col
ceal contraband articles or to alta
their apparent so that they will b
allowed to pass.
"A single case OF the kind
enough 10 embarrass all America
commerce to neutral countries b
throwing doubt on the correetne.
of our manifests and on the neutr,
nature of our cargoes, thus possibl
involving delay through examinin
cargoes that otherwise would /
avoided"
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