AMERICA AND ENEMY SHIPS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 17 March 1915, Page 5

AMERICA AND ENEMY SHIPS.

PURCHASE A BREACH OF NEUTRALITY.

_The history of the American Purchase Bill, which was recently abandoned, is rather obscure at present, and the American newspapers do not throw a great deal of light oh it. They state, however, that the measure drew a very emphatic warning from the British Government.

"The United States will certainlybecome involved in a serious controversy with the governments of Great Britain, France and Russia if it purchases and operates interned German and Austrian vessels, as proposed under the pending Ship Purchase Bill,'* wrote a correspondent on January 29 from- Washington. "Great Britain has officially given notice that, it would regard such a stsp by this Goverment as an unneutral act. A written statement to. this effect is jn the possession of Secretary of State Bryan, and has been in his hands for ien days. iFurtljermore, similar views in .regard to the imported intention of the Administration to purchase interned vessels are held by France and Russia.

"Great Britain, as. a nation with, which the United States has had occasion most frequently to discuss maritime questions during the war, hcs taken the lead in conveying to the United States a warning as to the view the Allies will take of the contemplated action under pending legislation" Sir Edward Gray has gone out of his way to disabuse Secretary Bryan of any notion he might have had that the British Government would look with complaisance on the purchase of interned ships by this Government. In the British communication on this subject, Sir Edward has indicated that a. mere commercial transaction such as involved in the Dacia case is not to be confused with the larger issue of the general release of German and Austrian vessels through their purchase by a govern- \ ment. : *

"He goes much further, and suggests that the latter case would be . intimately related to the question of neutrality. He asserts the British viewthat if a neutral Power intervened in the course of a war with the result of relieving one of the belligerents from the consequences of military action of the other belligerent, such intervention in effect; is of unneutral character. ' "The British communication did not mention tne United States^Goveriiment specifically, but-its purpose and application were clear. "

"In other words, aside from questions of international "law involved in the situation, which competent authorities admit are perplexing, the British Government is prepared to hold that the United States has committed an unneutral act if it turns out on seas under the American flag German and Austrian vessels now penned in American ports as the result of British superiority on the water. The purchase and operation of these ships would, in view of the British Government,*.be'-ah act offsetting an advantage which the British have won in the war, and would be resented as such by his Majesty's Government. ,

"This view is shared by the French Government. France has not had occasion to discuss the issue with the United States, but early in the war it took action quite as unmistakable in its meaning as that of Great Britain. Ambassador JnsseraTid informed Secetar-* Bryan that the Admiralty rules adopted by the French Government two years rp:o would be enforced dnrinor the ws I. These rules instructed French cmmanders to seize as enemy vessels any ships which had been transfer-red to neutral registry after tbe beginning of ho^+il}ties. This notice by the Froncb Government never has been modified, thus i^^uriTKr t.bft <?oi7;iirp tTi° jßrst; i*it.fvrr>ed vessel sailing under the proposed Government plan, which encountered a. FrpT>"h cruiser.

"Though tV>e Russian Government'is not ii a position to art. on spas to «!" considerable extent at prese»t, it is known +T»at it. is in entire accord with tbe,position of the British and French; that all three Govern!ae'>t.<; d^ not intend to look on ouietly the action o_F tbe United States Government relieves t-^e ene™v of one of the misfortunes of war. Tn +!ho opinion of those governments. t^*> f«r>+. tbat it is m-o_ posed tbat the United States itself do t^e«e things is vns+lv iio^fi sprio"* thr>Tv that American individuals should contemplate doing them."