South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-20
Great Britain Will Issue Proc
IamatiOn Putting Ban on
COnSignmentS of Every Ma
ture for TeutonS.
ENGLAND IS ISOLATED
FROM THE CONTINENT
No Ships Have Left East Coast
Ports Since s O'clock Fri
day Night-Comb Sea for
Enemy'S Submarines.

LONDON. Feb. 2O.-Au goods con-
signed to Germany will be declared
absolute contraband by the British
government A proclamation TO this
effect will be issued within a very
short time. All doubt as 10 the fu-
ture action Of Great Britain has been
removed by the note transmitted 10
the United States which states that
the cargo of the American steamer
Wilhelmina will be disposed OF by the
action of a prize court
The note is in effect an emphatic
though courteous warning that Eng
land expects no Interference from
neutral nations with the policy that
it has decided upon as a result Of the
German government taking control OF
all food within the empire.
This warning is conveyed in a para
graph of the note saying that the Brit-
ish government confidently expected
such action Ga food embargo) will
not be challenged on the part Of the
neutral states by appeals to laws and
uSages of war whose validity rests on
their forming an integral part of that
system of international doctrine
which Germany boasts the liberty
That Germany bungled i'm handling
the food situation is the assertion
made by British experts in interna-
tional law. They declare that her ac-
= fiR61-i<k <tf12m laundering food and plae-
Ing IL lfffd 6r cs1'rrfof 81 the government
was one Of the gravest errors she has
DELAYED Final Action.
In n1this connection il is learned that
the British government had already
drawn up a proclamation placing an
embargo upon food consigned 10 Ger.
many when it received notification
that Germany had altered her stand.
This caused a delay in Englaad's final
action.
This phase of the situation IS treat
ed IN the note 20 the United States
with a. statement that notice has just
been received tof the repeal byf Ger
many Of article g. of the German de-
cree This article held that alt grain
and flour imported into GermaTt after
Jan 81 should be deliverable only To
certain organizations under direct gov
ernment control or to municipal
authorities.
Great Britain claims that article a.
was repealed by Germany in order 20
render difficult the anticipated pro
ceedings against the Wilhelmfna' and
that 1T will be necessary for a prizs
court TO determine how far the osten-
sible reversal by Germany affects i'm
ported food.
England is Isolated.
England is isolated from the contin-
ent OF Europe today as far as British
shipping in concerned. No English
ships have left east coast ports since
6 O'Clock last night and il is probable
that traffic will be held up indefinitely
awaiting information from the admir-
atty that there is no further danger
from German submarines.
Reports were received here this
forenoon that "a German submarine
had been sighted off southampton.
headquarters OF the transport service
which has been conveying British
troops TO France. but the admiralty
declined TO affirm or deny the reports.
British naval officers now in London
believe that Germany has from Is 20
20 submarines lurking of the English
coasts. None has Vet attempted. how
ever, TO attack English warships.
While the admiralty. has announced
that the Norwegian tank steamer Bel
ridge. which was crippled of Dover
yesterday was torpedOad. there is an
inclination among naval experts 10
await an official examination Of the
vessel before accepting this state
ment. They believe that q torpedo
instead OF crippled her and generally
! accept the first reports that she hit a
mine.
None of Crew DOSt.
The Belridge Is now on her way 70
London. having left Walmer this
morning in tow.
None OF the crew Of the Belridge
was lost. Preparations were made 20
launch her boats after she was Grip
pied, but this was found unnecessary.
II is unofficially reported that a fleet
OF six British and four French sub
marines. are combing the English
channel in search OF the German
submarine U-16. If they come upon
her the first underwater battle In the
history Of the world viii follow
Rumors circulated here that the
U-16 had succeeded in cutting the
lines OF the French Gable Co. between
Brest and the United States gained I'm
strength today as a result OF the fact
that all messages from Paris 10
America are now transmitted by way
OF England. Formerly they were sent
direct from Brest.