The sun., 1917-02-03
KIRKWALLSHUT
BY MINED ZONE
British Navy to Be Compelled
to Search Neutral Ships on
High Sea.

LONDON. Feb. 2.-The German danger
zones have created serious complica-
tion concerning shipping between Amer
ican and Scandinavian or Dutch ports.
owing to the British blockade policy
requiring ships bound eastward or west
ward on that route to enter Kirkwall.
AS Kirkwall is fifty miles inside the
danger zone, American, Dutch and Sean
dinavian ships conforming TO the pres
ent regulations cannot avail themselves
of the open, mine free channel specified
H. Germanys memorandum, bu, must
lun the danger of mine fields in reaching
Krkwall. This difficulty is recognized
by the British authorities, as we'll AS in
American and Scandinavian shipping
circles, and it doubtless will receive at
tention with a view to relieving Ameri-
can and other ships from being forced
to run serious risks while submitting
TO British examination.
For the present. however. the For
eign Office is not willing to discuss what
course may be pursued, as the whole
range of questions raised by the new
German danger zones doubtless will be
considered by the War Cabinet.
search at Sea Proposed.
Meantime shipping circles are anx-
iously canvassng what alternative can
be provided for entering Kirkwall. One
suggestion is that American and Scandi-
navian ships be examined at sea by the
British blockade fleet stationed between
| the Farce Islands and Iceland. This eX-
! animation at sea would be attended by
/ many dangers and difficulties. but it
| woul be relatively less dangerous than
| proceeding across the German danger
! zone.
Another alternative suggested is for
! the examination of cargoes by British
| agents at American. Scandinavian and
| Dutch ports before the departure Of ves-
sells. \ third suggestion is for an ex-
animation to be made at some British
Colonial port like Halifax. The latter
| two alternatives are not considered feast
! BILE. however. as it is believed the Amer
| ican Government would not yield on the
! point OF examination at home ports OF
! in Canada.
1t is pointed out that the system under
which ships enter kirkwall is not COM
pulsory one, but has been adopted by
| shipping as the only means of avoiding
the difficulties of examination at sea.
some Blockade Runners Now.
Under the present system British dip
lomatic representatives. at Washington,
| Clpenhagen and elsewhere issue n certi-
| ficate of assurance when cargoes are
shown not to be contrahand. The ship
pers thereafter accept the cargoes backed
up by such certificates and stop at Kirk
, wall, where the certificate assures them
quick examination and the avoidance OF
detention at sea.
but as the system is not compulsory a
number OF steamships continue to run
the risks of not putting in at kirkwall
One American ship recently got through
the British blockade and is now at a
Norwegian port. The number OF block
ade runners. however, is comparatively
small, as most of the traffic between the
United States. Scandinavia and Holland
is carried IN by three large transatlantic
companies handling passengers and
freight and by other steamships which
have been consolidated under one genera
control in order to obtain uniform OBJ
servance of the blockade restriction.
Now that there is a German blockade
to the British blockade, neutral ships vii
De subjected to a double GORDON which
Is expected largely to increase the
dangers and also to lead to more block
ade running, owing to the Increased
premium for heavy risks.