THE BLACK LIST

Nelson Evening Mail, 15 November 1916, Page 5

THE BLACK LIST

REPLY TO AMERICAN NOTE. \ STATEMENT BY YtSCOUNT GREY. Australian and NVZ. Gab!© Association.) (Rec. Nov. 15, 9.40 a..**,) LONDON. .Nov. 14. Replying- to the American Note protesting against the Black List as an arbitrary- interference with neutral trade, Viscount Grey reiterates that prohibition of trade applies only to British subjects, and is indisputably within Britain's •rights.. Replying to the fears'that there will bo possible 'unwarranted expansion of the system, he points out that every additionC'to the list restricts British commercial opportunities. Therefore, it is to Britain's interests to confine, the list t,o the utmost: but. it is notorious that 1 -nany firms in neutral countries have been' active agents of German espionage oropaganda- and s ip<] German cruiseis, •md organised paid miscreants to destroy ships and factories simnlying the Allies. It had been suggested that the military position was now such that nothincr happening in distant neutral countries could affect the result. Viscount Grey wishes it were so, but there is still a loner and bitter struggle ahead, with possible inconvenience to neutrals, incomparable for a moment to the suffer- ; nrr flud loss occasioned to .mankind by the prolongation of the war even for a week. Britain is fully entitled to refuse bunker coal to ships carrying goods if black listed firms, especially in view of Germany's efforts to reduce the. world's tonnage, thus vender ins necessary n reserve of British coal ior possible British trade. Between Ist June and 30th September, enemy "TTTibmarines sunk 269. vessels, ■of which 65 were neutrals.; He quotes the American Civil AY.nr precedents in justification of the British actiow, and trusts that the explanation given will remove the suspicions and the evvoneons views prevailing in, .the United States.