POSITION OF HOLLAND.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15560, 8 April 1916, Page 9

POSITION OF HOLLAND.

A BRITISH PROTEST. ULTIMATUM CANARD DENIED. (By Cable.—Press Association—Copyright) (Received Anril 7th, 8.50 n.m.) AMSTERDAM, April 7. The British Legation has 'made a protest to the Dutch Government against the canard that England has sent an ultimatum to Holland asking that troops might pass through Zeoland. It is stated that relations between Britain and Holland were never more cordial. The protest has made a good impression in Holland.

GERMANY FEARED,

EX-MINISTER'S VIEWS. AMSTERDAM, April 6. Heir Colyn, formerly the Dutch Minister for War, rejects the possibility of the intention of Britain to land her new armies on the Dutch coast, on the assumption that it is incompatible with the assurance that the neutrality of Holland 'will be respected. The question, however, is what Germany may think. If Germany, he says, judges our defensive capacity to be inadequate, and is apprehensive of a British invasion through Holland, it would not bo strange if we were approached from the German side with' proposals to which we cannot submit because compliancc with them would mean tho abandonment of neutrality towards the Allies. While a waiting attitude mijiht bn adopted towards Britain, something positive should be done in regard to Germany. He suggested the strengthening of the Dutch forces to make it clear to Germany that Holland lias the power and the intention to prevent any menace to Germany's or>en flank.