THE AMERICAN NOTE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 12 January 1915, Page 5

THE AMERICAN NOTE

SIR EDW r ARD GREY'S INTERIM REPLY: LONDON, Jan. 10. Sir Edward Grey, in his interim reply to President Wilson's Note, concurs with the principle enunciated v bv America that belligerents should not interfere with neutrals' trade unless interference is necessary to the belligerent's safety. Great-Britain endeavour to act •within this principle provided America does not' deny- our right to • interfere with- contraband: Statistics v are - quoted .showing- that New York's exports to neutrals largely increased in November, 1914, compared with the same month in 1913. Sir Edward Grey suggests that the shrinkage ip. neutral -trade is due to the diminished purchasing power of the belligerents rather than to Great Britain's particular action. The huge increases in neutrals' importations -of American copper creates a strong presumption that the bulk of it is intended for the enemy's •use.

. FAVOURABLE, PRESS COMMENT. (Received. Jam 12, 8.'45 aim.), NEW YORK,- January 11; ... ' The morning papers Comment favourably on-. Sir": Edward Carey's;. reply. ' The "New York" Herald" admits that tlie order directirig-irfanifeststo be kept" secret, can . hardly have any other effect •than-' to-arouse-' suspicion. "• ; ; ■» . 1 i J ' UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DISSATISFIED; '• (Rec.- Jan. 12,- 12.30 p.m.) ? ; • WASHINGTON, s Jan. 11. ! The United States Government is, dis/ satisfied with Sii'EdwardrGrey's answer to th.e Note on. the question. While-gratified' at Britaiir's •'admission) of the principles •of interhatkmaL' law as-, emphasised' in 'the protest, : the >• United* States alleges tliat- Britain-lias smiled; to? make'-her - practise square: therewith j>and to take-up : individual cases > in jfuture. . .-. .'• : ■

•' (Th# .discussion in- relation to contrabarid- of- war which has' arisen: between Great, Britain and the United- 3tates- | has been- -largely proyoked-.by-. tlie necessary 'vigilance- ofßritish? warships-, in. searpKr ing:; for concealed", ofcop-. per - intended, for G-erixiany. ;• Cotton is another, commodity; of which.Germany must be auxiousto. secure supplies. For raw- cotton aiid wa,ste, thetotalconsumptioiiof "which in vl9ll was 437,000 tons, she is totally, dependent • on. external sources.- Among-' others raw, materials: inregard to which. ,is- similarly situated i$ jute, • coming ' entirely fi'om British India, the German consumption of which in 1911 amounted to 136,000- tons. Recent reports referring to the measures resorted to by the Germans in laying hands on everything in 'the nature of copper in Belgium may' be somewhat highly, coloured-, but there is • no. reason to doubt tliat'what has been aptly tSrattr ed a war of attrition- is operating, •against Germany in more ways than iif that of the losses she is iq the field.) what "the Dimes' 5 says. I*OND:QN, Jan., 11." "The Times," -in a leader, says Sir Edward Grey's reply to the American Note seems, excellent in substance- and. 'tone. "We feel confident that it will' meet with a friendly reception across the Atlantic," it add?.* "It reserves the right vital for our defence., and wq believe that this position will be understood and appreciated by, the United States. CONTRABAND COPPER. "LONDON, Jan. 11. Sir Grey .adds that Great Biitain is prepared to admit that foodstuffs should not b.e interfered, >vitlx unless tney. are intended for belligerent armies. America's prohibition of..the publication of shipping manifests if or 30 days nir creased the difficulty of detecting contiabaud. The Bfitish Government will gladly enter into au arrangement to avoid mistakes and promptly recompense neti!trals for improper detention. It was : imperative-that Great Britain should stop copper shipments not genuinely destined : for neutrals. The Government had positive evidence, tliat four Swedish consignments were' destined foiv Germany, andifc wag unable to believe, , that the-United ■States' would question the propriety' of taking ■ suspected, cargoes, to tho-Prize Court-. With ; regard. to foodstuffi?, • the: G_oVern» ment was unable to give ah unconditional undertaking.- In. view of the., enemy s departure from the' accepted rules ot civilisation and humanity,, and tlie, unF certainty; about such,, rules being, violatedin future, it was essential, to bring into, port all vessels suspected of carryng contraband.

T&W G6v.&uitn<§rrf- KacE placed eoik®^.P n | ) th 6 .free list, yet it! Wad rwefc"ived> 1 iiiatioii thiat Cotton. was ..bfeuvg I s ships specially selected to f cealed contraband. It' affirmed its mteii-1 tion to examine such suspected vessels. | It was impossible for Great . permit the export of rubber.to Aihsi'ifca, unless the latter admitted- Great Britain a .to submit rubber cargoes exported ifoili America to the Prize Court. There vteis & growing danger of neutrals con- , t.fgiio'U's io' ittet e-iiemy becoming a base of supplies M iiw mettiy. Great Britain would .endeaVW to prevent that danger by .intercepting go'cXte ifttefided for tho enemy, without interleihig With those which were bona .fide intended loi neutrals. • GERMAN SHORTAGE OF COPPER. (Received Jan. .12, 8.55 a.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 11. • Merr "Dernberg admitted that Germany wd- 5 seekiilg to replace copper with alloys arid otHSr hietals; (Ai the pre'serfi tirrife i CieSi'Maiiy must be requiring exceptionally larg : e quarfl.ties of copper and petroleum, arid it is not at all probable that. the remnant <s£ her overseas trade ihat is filtering through neutral countries is supplying her with these commodities in anything like the bulk requisite for her purposes. According to figures recently published in xce Economist," Germany's total consumption of petroleum-' in 1911 was 'iic'nm tons, an dher total imports were 975,0Wt0n5. This indicates that she :s dependent on" foreign'sources for all but a : fraction 6t IiQE supply of petroleum, in regard to hef sitpply of copper, the position is not to ail appearances very much - better. In 1910 Germaiiy produced hei,self 35,888 tons of copper, but as ner consumption of the same n\etal,amouii tb: 211,000 tons, the extent of .her dependence oil external supplies as mam-