The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-11-09
BLOCKADE rs ILLEGAL
',S :, E E AND INDEFENSiBLE
ContiItued from Page, .ORd , !,

d britain in tile naSt .4es held .,
:; :Stnited Stntes' TO .accountl when III,
,.s3atter nation waS n bentscrent e0
! gagged in struggte for uaiional ~
! stisteffce. 1t Is or the. highest i'm
,:portaRee to n'euttaIs not e8l. pt IN,
present day but OF the future THAI
the principles OF international right
he maintained unimp2irri,
This task Of championlUs the II
tegrity of neutral rights, which has
received the sanction " the civilized
world against the lawleSS conduct q.
belligerents arising out ct the bitter
ness OF the great conflict which is
now wasting the countries OF Europe
the United States uuheSitatingly as
sumes. and to the accomplishment OF
that task il will devote its energies,
exercising always that impartiality
which from the outbreak OF the war
it has sought to exercise in it's rela-
tionS with the warning nations.
The note is dated October II. and
acknowledges the notes of the British
government dated January Z. Febru-
airy 10, June %, July %, July 81,
(twoO August IS, and note verbale
of the British embassy of August g..
all of which relate to restrictions up
on American commerce. The United
States says at the outset that it has
delayed answering these notes in the
hope that the announced purpose of
Great Britain Ito exercise their bel
ligerent right with every possible
consideration for the interests of neu-
trails" and of causing "the least pos
sible amount of Inconvenience to per-
sons engaged in legitimate trade"
would in practice not unjustifiably in
fringe upon the neutral rights of
American citizens.
1T is therefore matter Of regret"
says the note, that this hope has
not been realized, but that on the
contrary, interference with American
ships and cargoes destined in good
faith to neutral ports and lawfully
entitled to proceed have become in
creaSingly veXatious, causing Ameri-
can ship-owners and American mer-
chants to complain to this govern
ment of the failure to take steps to
prevent an exercise of belligerent
power in Contravention of their Just
rights. AS the measures complained
of proceed directly from orders issued
by the British government, are exc.
cuted by British authorities, and
arouse a reasonable apprehension
that, if not resisted. they may be car
to American interests this govern
ment directs the attention of His
Majesty's government to the follow
ing consideration"
Here follow in numbered para
graphs the points made by the United
States. Summarized they are:
Cd The statistics presented by
Great Britain to prove an increase
rather than a decrease in American
trade fail to take into account the
increased price of commodities result
ing from a state of war or to make
any allowance for the diminution in
the volume of trade which the neu-
trail countries in Europe previously
had with the nations at war"
CD Detentions by Great Britain
have not been uniformly based on
proofs obtained at the time of seizure.
but many vessels have been detained
while search was made for evidence. "
The question has been one OF "evi-
dence to support the belief of-in
many cases bare suspicion of enc
my destination. or occasionally OF
enemy origin OF the goods involved. -
CD Attention is directed with re-
gard to search of neutral vessels at
sea to the instructions issued 10 the
naval commanders of the United
States, Great Britain. Russia. Japan.
Spain, Germany and France from
1888 to the beginning of the present
war to show that search in port wa
not contemplated by the government
of any of these countries"
CD An examination of the opin-
ion of the most eminent text writer's
on the laws of nations show that
they give practically no consideration
to the question Of search in port out
side OF examinations in the course
of regular prize court proceedings.
t5) Answering the assertion of
Great Britain that the position OF
the United States in relation of
search at sea is inconsistent with its
practice during the Civil War, the
note says this is based upon a mis-
conception A careful search of |
the records shows concluSively that
there were no instances when vessels |
were brought into port for search |
prior to instituting prize court pro- |
ceedings," and that captures were not
made upon other grounds than evi- !
dence found on the ship under in /
vestigation, and not upon circum- |
stances. ascertained from external /
sources" 1t is here that Secretary
Lansing appends a copy of the in |
structfons issued to American naval
oncers on August 18. 1852.
(o.) In answer to the British con-
tention that conditions relating TO
the size and seaworthiness of modern |
carriers justify bringing vessels into
port, there is cited the report of q
board OF United States naval experts
rst made, in which it is declared |
lhat IL is not necessary to remove