New-York tribune., 1916-01-28
Seizures Arousing a
Strong Feeling Here,
Says Lansing.
ACT PROMPTLY,
GREY is TOLD
Vexatiously Inquisitorial,
Note Calls Opening of
Consular Post.
lTrom The Tribune Bureau


Washington, Jan. 27.-Describing the
detention and censorship of American
mails as "vexatiously inquisitorial" and
calling attention to the "strong feeling
aroused in this country" Secretary
Lsnsing's note Of protest to Great Brit
ain, made public to-day, strikes new
chord in the diplomatic correspondence
of the war. For the first time Great
Britain is appealed to on the ground
that her operations in contravention OF
neutral rights are subversive of her
own interests in that they influence
public opinion in neutral countries
against the Allies.
The note reveals that diplomatic and
consular pouches have been detained,
that valuable letters have been lost and
that foreign banks are refusing to cash
American drafts because they have no
assurances that drafts are secure in
the mails.
Great Britain's attention is called to
the fact that such operations are with
out compensating military advantage"
the inference being that they would be
less Objectionable If they served real
purpose in assisting Great Britain
against Germany.
Ambassador Page is instructed to
"lay this matter Immediately before
the British government in formal and
vigorous protest and press for dis
continuance of these unwarranted in
references with inviolable mails he
is also directed to Empress upon Sir
Edward Grey the necessity for prompt
action in this matter"
Grey Consults French.
Sir Edward Grey, in note made
public by the State Department to-day
states that the American note raises
important questions Of principle which
cannot be decided without referring
them to the Allied governments, par
t-cularly the French. The Foreign
Minister expressed the hope that a
reply would be forwarded soon.
The State Department contends that
mails on the neutral ships are invioi-
able on the high seas. except parcei
mail. which is subject to the ordinary
laws of contraband. In the case OF ves-
sells which merely touch at BRUSH
rorts. the contention is that sealed
I,ails never properly come into the Gus,
tody of the British postal service and
are consequently not subject to censor
shin. It is admitted privately, how
ever, that in the case Of ships which
touch at British ports voluntarily this
rosition is debatable.
Where vessels go into British ports
because of the regulations requiring all
merchant shipping to report for ex-
animation before passing the British
patrol, the State Department holds tnat
no territorial jurisdiction can be &C
CURED in that way and that the mails
On such ships are inviolaole.
Very few OF the neutral steamers In
question, it is stated, have put into
british ports voluntarily. The British
governments attention Is called TO the
note of October 81 on interference with
hid that ships must be searched for
contraband on the high seas and that
10 take them into port for such pur-
rose was an unwarrantable extension
Of the belligerent right Of visit and
search. II is held that the same prin-
ciple applies to mail steamers IN the
present controversy.
Names Many Instances.
Department advised that British
customs authorities removed from DAN
ish steamer Oscar III 734 bags parcel
mail en- route from United States to
Norway, Sweden and Denmark; that
British port authorities have removed
from Swedish steamer Stockholm, 81
bags parcel mail en- route Gothenburg,
Sweden. to New York; that 5000 pack
ages OF merchandise, American prop
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