THE DUTCH SHIPS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4866, 11 May 1918, Page 3

THE DUTCH SHIPS.

WHY SEIZURE WAS MADE

LONDON, May 1. The British reply to the Netherlands Note concerning the requisitioning of shipping in Allied ports, regrets that allegations were pool.shea n> the Netherlands which were calculated to raise a misconception m what had occurred since the British and Dutch negotiations began m London in November. 1917. The reply traces the negotiations which led to the drawing up ot the proposed basis of agreement whien Holland! failed to ratify. . Referring to the modus vivendi or the agreement reached on January 20, regarding shipping between the Netherlands and the United States, the reply states that this undo notedly broke down owing to German opposition. The same influence operated in the case of the tonnage claims in the proposed basis of agreement. Tllie reply points out that a- subsequent effort to arrive at a mutual a.) - rangoment was nullified by the Netherlands objection to the employment of ships for a military purpose orannea. Thereupon the requisitioning wlicih already had beenmora toa the Dutch delegate became inevitable, otherwise the Central Powers would liavo achieved their very oliect of mobilising Dutch tonnage. The British assurances given on 'March 1 regarding the conditions under which the ships woulfll rq requisitioned were now clearly re-stated and re-affirmed. It was pointed out that they embraced no substantial departure' from the originally proposed agreement. The reply mentions that the associatedl Governments recently extended facilities' for the shipment of American grain to Holland. Great Britain expresses her perfect willingness to continue her negotiations for an economic agreement.