The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-27
Eerdvk and Rotterdam.

Oosterdyk and Rotterdam.
 Business opportunities are lost by failure to transmit promptly bids, specifications and contracts. The Standard Underground Cable Go. of Pittsburgh, for example, sent by mail a tender and specifications for certain proposed electrical works to be con- structed in Chrfstiania. After several weeks of waiting, the papers have failed to arrive, the American com pany was told, that the bids could not be longer held open, and the contract was awarded to a British competitor.
 Cheeks, drafts, money orders, se- curities and similar property are lost or detained for weeks and months. Business correspondence relating to Iegitimate and bona fide trade be- tween neutral countries, correspond ence of personal nature, and also cer- tain official correspondence, such as money order lists and other matter forwarded by Government depart ments, are detained, lost, or possibly destroyed.
 ''For instance, the Postmaster Gen. eraI informs me that certain interna- tionaI money order lists from the United States to Germany, Greece and other countries, and from Germany to the United States, sent through the mails, have not reached their des- tination, though despatched several months ago.
 Lost With Dutch Ship.
 ''It was necessary to have some of these lists duplicated and again de- spatched by the steamship Frederik VIII, which sailed from New York on April 19 and from which all the mails intended for Germany have been talk en and held in British Jurisdiction.
 "A a further example of the delay and loss consequent upon the British practice, the postmaster-Gener also sends me a copy of a letter from the British postal administration admit ting that the mails were removed from the steamer Medan in the Downs on Jan. 30 last and not forwarded un- til some time between the 2d of Feb ruary and the 2d of March, and that 182 bags of these mails were lost dur ing transmission to Holland on the 26th day of February by the Dutch steamship Meckleburg.' The Medan arrived safely at Rotterdam a day or two after she left the Downs.
 Numerous complaints similar to the foregoing have been received by this government, the detail of which are available, but I believe I have precedented and vexatious nature of the interference with mails persisted in by British and French auth critics.
 Mot only are American commercial interests inured. but rights of prop erty are violated, and the rules of in ternational law and cutom are palpa- bly, disregardedr
 FtI can only add that this continu- ing offense has led to such losses to American citizens and to a possible responsibility of the United States to repair them, that this government will be compelled in the near future to press claims for full recIama ton ha ali nf Mai y'- government and that of the French republic.
 Agree on Some Points.
 ''The principle being plain and def1- mite, and the present practice of the governments of Great Britain and France being clearly in contravention of the principle, I will state more in detail the position of the government of the United States in regard to the treatment of certain classes of sealed mails under a strict application of the principle upon which our govern ments seem to be in general accord.
 '"The government of the United States is inclined to the opinion that the class of mail matter which in c1udes stocks, bonds, coupons and similar securities is to be regarded as of the same nature as merchsn ndise or other articles of property. and subject to the same exercise of be11igerent rights. Money orders, cheeks, drafts, I notes and other negotiable instru- ments which may pass as the equiva- lent of money. are, it is considered, also to be classed as merchandise.
 t'Corresp pondence, including ship ping documents, money order lists, and papers of that character, even though relating to enemy supplies or reports unless carried on the same ship as the property referred to, are in the opinion of this government, to be regarded as genuine correspond l ence, and entitled to unrnolested pas sage.
 s.The government of the United 1 States in view of the improper meth l ods employed by the British and | French authorities in interrupting mails passing between the United | States and other neutral countries and between the United States and the en- emies of Great Britain, can no longer tolerate the wrongs which citizens of | the United States have suffered and continue to suffer through these meth ods.
 ITO submit to a 1awless practice of this character would open the door to repeated violations of international law. by the belligerent powers on the ground of military necessity, of which the violator would be the sole judge. Manifestly a neutral nation cannot permit it's rights on the high seas to