Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-01-28

CONTINUED from First Page.)
ulations. 1t also denies that the Brit
ish government has any authority over
neutralized mails on ships which mere
ly touch at British ports.
The Ad Interim Reply.
With the text OF the American note
was made public Great Britain's ad
interim reply, saying that questions of
principle raised by the United States
have made it necessary for Great Brit
ain to consult her allies before answer
ing finally, and indicating that there
will be no unnecessary delay in the ne
gotiatiOns.
The note is in the form of a memo
randum to Ambassador Page at Lon
don instructng him to file a formal
and vigorous protest"
The American note is dated Jan. 4
and textually is as follows:
"The department is advised that the
British customs authorities removed
from the Danish steamer Oscar IL.
734 bags parcel mail en- route from the
United States to Norway, Sweden and
Denmark; that the British port author
tiles have removed from the Swedish
steamer Stockholm IS bags of parcel
mail en- route to Gothenburg, Sweden,
to New York; that 5000 packages of
merchandise, American property, have
been seized by British authorities on
the Danish steamer United States on
her last trip to the United States; that
the customs authorities at Kirkwall,
on Dec. Is, seized 597 bags of parcel
mail from the steamer Frederick VIII.
manifested for Norway. Sweden and
| Denmark. Other similar cases might
be mentioned, such as that OF the
steamer Heligolav.
Entitled to Exemptions.
THE department is not inclined to
regard parcel post articles as subject
to tho same treatment as articles sent
as express or freight in respect tc
belligerent search. seizure and con-
demnation. on the other hand, par
eel post articles are entitled to the
usual exemptions of neutral trade and
the government of the United States
protests in regard to what constitutes
the unlawful bringing in of ships fol
search in ports. the illegality of the
called blockade by Great Britain
and the improper assumption of juris.
diction OF vessels and cargoes apply
to commerce using parcel post service
for the transmission of commodities
Please bring this matter OF parcel pos
formally TO the attention of the British
government.
The department is further informed
that on Dec. % the entire mails, in
GLIDING sealed mails and presumabl!
the American diplomatic and consu
lar pouches from the United State
to The Netherlands, were removed b,
British authorities from the Dutcl
steamer New Amsterdam; that on Dec
20 the Dutch vessel Noorderdyke wa
deprived at the Downs of America
mail from the United States to Rotter
dam and that these mails are still hel
by British authorities. Other simila
instances could be mentioned, as tn
cases of the steamers Rotterdam an
Noordam.
British Practice Condemned.
THE department cannot admit tn
right of British authorities to seiz
neutral vessels plying directly betwee
American and neutral and Europea
ports without touching at BIRTHS
ports. TO bring them into port and Will
there to remove or censor mails carrie
, by them. Modern practices general
r recognize that mails are not to b
5 censored, confiscated or destroyed o
: high seas, even when carried by bellie
2 erent mail ships. To attain the sam
} end by bringing such mail ships With
' British jurisdiction for purposes
1 search and then subjecting them
!, local regulations allowing censorship
t mails, cannot be justified on tn
= ground of national jurisdiction.
e cases where neutral mail ships merel
touch at British ports, the departmeI
= believes that the British have no il
;. ternational right TO remove the scale
e mails or to censor them on board ship
Y These ships never rightfully come I'M
e the custody of the British mail servic
and that service is entirely without r.
$ sponsibility for their transit or safet
e Strong Feeling Aroused.
r AS a result of British action, stror
o feeling is being aroused in this coui
: try on account Of the loss of valuab
Il letters money orders and drafts, ar
foreign banks are refusing to cas-
It American drafts owing to the absen'
= of any surety that the drafts W
n travel safely in the mails. Moreove
e the detention of diplomatic and col
r sular mail is an aggravating circun
y stance in a practice which is general
regarded in this country as vexatious