Norwich bulletin., 1916-04-26

Washington. April 25.-The latest | British note in answer to American protests against allied interferences l with neutral trade. made public to- night at the state department. con tends Cat the practices complained Of are 'juridically sound and valid" and that the relief which neutrals seek Is rather 10 he obtained by the mitiga- ton of necessary hardships than by abrupt changes either in the theory or application of policy based upon admitted principles of international law carefully adjusted to the altered conditions of modern warfare"
 To Minimize Burden of Neutrals.
 II discioses that an impartial and influential commission has been ap- pointed to find ways to minimize de- ! lays md pled-es tho allies n make . F.scir rcrtTa.r-s gC trade as little hu-- ,01sc-Ts 70 ner-r-iS ag possible.
 Necessity of Regulating Commerce The note. in which the French gov errment concurs. re!teratrs the mi!i- tary necessity Of regulating commerce Of neutTais contiguous to Germany and JuStifies the effectivenes of the block ade which was challenged by the last American note.
 More diplomatic correspondence over the issue Is expected to follow
 The unanimity of sentiment among ' the worlds neutrais for the protec- Ftion of neutral rights Is recognized in l the British note which refers 10 the subject in terms embracing not the rights of trade alone. It says in con- clUsion:
 His Majesty's government have l noted with sincere satisfaction the | in-ination contained in the concluding ! passages of the United States note. of | the intention of the United States to hn aE Nzaw .e=s--E -~~ the integrity of neutral rights. Neutral Rights.
 The first act of this war was the [ unproVoked invasion by the enemy of neutral territory-that of BeIgium- ! which he was solely pledged by treaty | Co protect. The disregard of neutral | rights has since been extended to na- | val warfare by the wantOn destruction ] of neutral merchant ships on the high l seas regardless of the lives of those | on board His AfaHesty-'s ! government would welcome any com bination of neutral nations under the | lead of the United States which would | exercise an effective influence to pre- l vent the violation of neutral rights l and they cannot believe that they or l their allies have much to fear from ! any combination for the protection of l these rights which takes an impartial
 
 ! duct of this war and judges 1t by a reasonable interpreta tion of the gen orally accepted provisions of fnterna- tional law and by the rules of human l ity that have hitherto been approved | by the civilized world"
 At the outset the note suggests that the American complaint is not so l much that shipments intercepted l really were intended for use fin the European neutral countries to which they were despatched. as that the ! despatch of goods 10 Great Britain's enemy had been frustrated by meth ods not hitherto employed by bellig- erents.
 New Devices Call for New Methods.
 Tt would seem" says the note. ''to he fair reply to such a contention that new devices for despatching goods to the enemy must be met by new methods of applying the funda- mental and acknowledged principles of the right 10 intercept such trade" ImpossibiIity of Making Searches at
 Sea.
 | At some length the note argues the impoSsibility of making searches at sea for various reasons, among which are weather. the size of modern steam ships and the manner in which con- traband has been concealed. A re- port from Admiral Sir John JeIIicoe l NbEflIIlAI0FE OI Lne EEaUu NHnL, n1Gn q upon his experiences of eighteen months. is included. After summing up the circumstances which it is con- tended work for lees hardship upor trade by sending ships to port fol search instead of searching them al sea besides the added danger oi submarine attack while search is 1T progress. Admiral JelIicoe's repor concludes by saying
 Give as Little Ineonvienee as Possible The difference between the Rritfsl
 and the German procedure is that VI, l have acted ir the way which causai the least discomfort to neutrals Tn, . stead of sinlying neutral ships enra ret
 Tn trade with the enemy as the Ger l mans have done in so many cases. ir direct contravention of their own priz, l regulatiOns Ua erarf0l
 them, giving as little inconvenience al modern naval conditions will allow . sending them into port only where thi r becomes necessary"
 Q Examination of Suspected Persons $ The note adds that a further reasoi
 for bringing ships into harbor is tn
 necessity for close examination of al ' suspected persons. which has bee . made necessary by the German prac . | tice of misusing United States pass r ports to procure a safe conduct fo [. military persons and agents" r At great length the note discusse Q the questions of proofs of the destina
 ton of the contraband-