South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-18
Only Eight of 772 Ships That
Left the United States Since
War Started, Taken Into
Prize Courts, Says Grey.
EXPORTS TO NEUTRAL
COUNTRIES ON INCREASE
Great Britain, He Says, is Suf-
fering From Shortage of
Shipping as ACuteIy as Other
Nations In Good Faith.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 1S-The text
OF the British governments reply to
the American protest against British
interference with American com
merce was made public wednesday
night simultaneously in Washington
and London. The British reply is
written by Sir Edward Grey and is
dated Feb. 1.
IN acknowledging Secy Bryans
letter OF protest the British foreign
secretary says that Secy Bryan de
scrtDes the situation produced by the
action of Great Britain as a pitiful
one TO the commercial interests of the
United States"
Sir Edward Grey then says in reply
that the British government has not
.nterfe-ed in any way whatsoever
with any ships that have sailed from
the United States TO any countries eX-
cept Holland Denmark. Norway.
sweden and Italy. 1t is only through
those countries adjacent TO the theater
OF war that the enemy introduces the
supplies which he requires for the
carrying on of the war" And of all
the ships that have cleared from the
United States for these countries since
the beginning of the war only eight
out OF 4l3 have been placed in the
prize court" Sir Edward Grey says,
and only 45 temporarily detained to
enable particular cOnsignments OF car
so to be discharged for the purpose Of
prize court proceedings"
Exports On Increase.
Sir Edward Grey then calls atten-
ton TO the fact that if cotton be ex-
Guided from the calculation the effect
of the war has not been to decrease
American exports. but quite the con-
trary. And cotton, while II IS affect
ed bv war IS not affected by British
interference with commerce as il is
not contraband of war and has not
been interfered with III any way" In
other words 1.-THE naval operations of
Great Britain are not the cause of any
diminutiOn in the volume of Ameri-
can export
Sir Edward Grey then quotes a par
agraph In circular sent out Jan. %,
10y the department OF commerce to the
American public calling attention to
the enormous increases in the foreign
trade of the United States, exports
being $206, 100000 for the month Of
November or double the total for Au-
gust; December showing "A still fur
Their Improvement, exports being
$246,0OO,00O, or $4,000, 900 more
than for the month of December,
1913, when there was no war.
Sir Edward Grey then states that
from August I 20 November so in
spite of the acute. but temporary
disturbance of trade after the out
break of the war;" Great Britain and
her allies took S2S5.312.O00 worth Of
goods from the United States as COM
pared with S316. SO5,0OO in the same
period last year when there was no
war. on the other hand Germany
aud Belgium took only S1,SS1. 00O as
compared with $177.136.OOO. To neu-
trail countries the exports of the
United States have actually increased.
Docs Not Interfere.
THE general complaint in your eX-
celleucy's note" Sir Edward Grey
writes To Sec'y Bryan. was that the
faction of Great Britain was affecting
adversely the commerce OF the United
states with neutral countries The
naval operations of Great Britain GER
tainly does not interfere with the
commerce of the United States on it's
way 10 ENGLAND and allied countries
y ct it is the exports of Great Britain
and her allies during the four months
which have diminished by $2S,0OO, 600