The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-20
.RITISH NAVY AMERICAS BULWARK
==::=$ $&81 SAYS BERESFORD az =$:$:=$:

make what are called arrangements
and agreements with certain neutral
nations. including. for example, Dem
mark. is the result of our procrastina-
ton at the start. Had VI acted more
scnsibly an infinite number Of negotia-
tions would have been unnecessary
which have been very necessary indeed
as things have stood.
"A completely efficient blockade and
the declaration as contraband Of every
thing designed to help in the manu-
facture OF munitions or give comfort
to Germany would have settled every
thing without any serious trouble
But failing to realize this. or at least
falling to accomplish it, We drif,ed into
trouble.
I'VE have decreed. and have been
able TO enforce our decree through our
mastery Of the seas, tina, neutral ma
lions shall be 'rationed.' That liz. that
at least those which especially trade
with Germany shall not import into.
their territory more supplies than they
were in the custom Of importing before
the war began. obviously this is 10
prevent the export TO our enemies from
neutral importing nations Of supplies
81 whatever kind which that enemy
may need.
THE amour. OF allowed imports be-
ing limited under this %'rationing' ar
rangement, we can res; assured that
the nation nearest to the neutral ma
ton in which the port OF import is
situated will get the benefit Of the i'm
p~ortat.on and tina, our enemies will
not get the benefit Of Il.
In all trading agreements or pro-
posals the date Of delivery il most i'm
portant. Naturally the countries
nearest to Germany will get the Ger
man trade. From this complications
ma arise. II may be that I, a Briton.
should be among the first, II not the
first. to call attention to This fact.
els II not possible that in the future.
"A'Na tN ""'' '''T'
who by this arrangement have been
prohibited from trading with Germany.
such nations. for example, as tn"
United states and Spain. MAY say
tous
Great Br.ts II used her mastery Il
the sea white she Was fighting Ger
mans 10 tho advantage Of q favored
few and 10 the de,rimcni o. the grcat
mass of neu;rals who were too Far IN
successfully To compctc uudet the
regulations winch she land down
''1Nius, While | have called attcnt!uu
90 tn" fat that al nations Understood
md understand the law of blockade
and cortraband Of war. and while |
acknowledge that the difficulties Of the
situation became great at once after
the outbreak Of the war. | ma ntain
that We ourselves created mony Of
them.
international law as a whole in
no; tina, ~ l~.onuon) and the United
states VAS not even bound 10y what,
according to ouy reading. il did include,
for from the first she refused to agr,o
to il. Tho Declaration IT Paris, 1896,
dealt viii, ncutra. nags covering
enemy goods.
"Therefurc the United States would
not have been in a position to object
to the declaration ~ contrahand cot
,,N. and. furthermore, she would mo-
have objected. as was ~cVldcnred by
the expectations If her state and he,
Federal Agricultural departments an,
her chambers ~ 10 which
already have alluded,
our order in Council OF March II
1915. abrogated the Declaration a.
Paris Of 1856, the fourteen Hague con
ventions OF 1907 and the Declaration
Of London of 1905.
ITO prove this I have but to call AT
tention TO the fact that on tho Is, o
March, 1915. the lrime Minister sai'
N the House of Commons: Her op
bo1iVINS 'ii'"'i'c w ~ 'lf''' ''
those of Germany, in other words th'
Allies. have been driven "a franz
retaiiatory in order. in ih"I
turn, to prevent commodities OF an
kind from reaching or leaving the Ger
man Empire
I'm only one way could that nav
been made effective, and h a woul'
have been by means Of an cfhc.cn
blockade and the declaration Of abso
lutte cuntraband.
America il well aware that t'rca
Britain ranno, blockade neutral port
and our difficulty has arisen with nci'
mark and Holland who match houn
Diary frontiers with Germany, But un
der that order IN Council, as thc n,l
~laration Of Paris. 1896, had been auro
gated. We should have been entitled
search for enemy goods under p"uiiJ
flags. That would have place.! D,r
/, mark and Holland IN "A different ~
1,Ui,,lt ,.nsiSt,p Mil, I,rrul.nN