The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1917. DUTCH NEUTRALITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9717, 20 July 1917, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1917. DUTCH NEUTRALITY

The German claim to the whole of the inlet of the North Sea into which the river Kras debouches near the town of Etmden raises a very serious question. It is a question made doubly serious ■by tho present stage of tbo war. On the fac/O of it, tho German claim is a violation of Dutch neutrality, being a claim of Dutch territorial water. Tbo riv'rr Bms, rising in Westphalia, Hots north, in a course parallel with tho Dutch border to the embouchure. Tho ’lnlet into which tho river flows stands ''practically at right angles to the course of tho river. On one side is the German coast-line, on the other tho Dutch coast-line opposite. The Dutch and German coasts turn from the inlet westwards and eastwards. Parallel with these coasts run the Frisian Islands, the western being Dutch, the eastern German. The boundary between them, after passing midway between the Gorman and Dutch shores of the Emden inlet,, crosses tho inland water to tlie Frisian Islands opposite, passing through them to the west of the island of Borkura, to the meeting of the North Sea territorial waters of both nations. The width of territorial water is throe miles, and the fact complicates matters at some points of the water boundary: (1) Between the- German Frisian island of Borkum and the Dutch Frisian island of Rottum, the water is three miles wide; (2) the narrowest part of tho Emden inlet is about six miles, but the exact distance is difficult to ascertain on tho ordinary maps of tho countries adjacent. It is obvious that at tho point where the boundary passes through tho Frisian islands —'between Borkum and Rottum —there must be difficulty, for in a water-way of three miles it is impossible to give both sides a threemile limit of territorial water; unless it is agreed that each must be content with half the customary width. Then in tho inlet where the water at its narrowest is doubtfully six miles, there must be similar difficulty, but in less proportionate degree. The trouble seems to be confined to the inlet, Germany claiming the whole as German water, right up to the Dutch coast. Tlie occupation of that water, with assertion of German rights, is tantamount to a seizure of Dutch territory. This question is exciting considerable interest in Holland, amounting to perturbation. The German map takes the whole water, and tho Gorman authorities arc exercising “quasi jurisdiction,' which means using the rights of sovereignty.

The question may appear to many to be touched by the recent British capture of a, squadron of German trading ships. The capture was effected, so far as we can ascertain from the reports, in a region remote from the I'Tisian Islands, nearer to the Texel. The point in this case does not involve the question of the Braden territorial water at all. It relates to the outside North Sea territorial water, the allegation being that the captures were made in territorial water. The testimony relied on is of eye-witnesses, and such testimony under such circumstances being unreliable, the Dutch mind is taking the matter philosophically, awaiting tile result o: inquiry. The ships v. .re sighted ana promptly attacked; t .(‘v made tor the coast, towards territorial water, some of them reaching tiie coast battered and benching there, the rest being captured. Evidently there was confusion, and as to distances, eye-witnesses on shore would find it difficult to get accurate ideas, the real Dutch grievance is not of the violation of territorial water. It is of the British stoppage of the zone left open by the British for the convenience of the Dutch coastal trade. This zone the Gormans have boon using with characteristic coolness. Their railways being congested by military

needs, and unable to fiupply their ports on the Kins, the AYe.ser and tho Kibe with coal and nierchantli.se, they sent these things to Rotterdam, and shipped them then' to be. carried by sea by zone left open by the British for Dutch convenience. The British Government, on discovering tho practice, closed the zone, and answered Dutch remonstrances with the snubbing due to preposterous impertinence, making it clear that they had no intention or favouring German transport. The only bearing the matter has on the Dutch-Ger-man problem lies in tlie fact that the Dutch have been forced by German bullying to make a preposterous claim on Britain. It shows that Germany wants to force HoM-ind into the war on her side. Having seized Dutch territorial waters in one region, they want to gej, the, illegal use of them in another, and if necessary by pushing Holland into the war. It reminds Us of the story of the young lady of Riga ■vho accepted tho invitation of tho tiger to rule, and found herself at tho end riding inside. The blockade-running is thus seen to be oart of a subtle Gorman policy, which has begun by seizing tlie northern territorial Dutch water at Emden. It is a fair conclusion that this policy is intended to end at Antwerp. Antwen) is in a similar position to Emden, with an important difference. Emden is only partially cut off by territorial water of Holland, whereas Antwerp is wholly cut off. Tho channel of tho Scheldt, which is entirely Belgian at Antwerp, is at tho embouchure into its estuary entirely in Dutch territorial water. Tho width of the channel is aboui throe miles—with tho exception of omo hays opening out on each side — from Flushing, at the mouth of the estuary, to the mouth of the river. Hero tho difficulty of tho three-mile territorial limit has been overcome by giving tho shores of tho channel to Holland. Thus is Antwerp wholly cut off from the, sea, whereas Emden is only partially cut off, inasmuch as it is possible for Dutch guns (in time of war) to bo placed into positions commanding a part of the channel navigation. Now Germany has seized tho Dutch territorial water at Emden, which ft does not require at all, for Germany and Holland, being at peace, the Dutch will not use their power of partial obstruction of tho channel. Having seized Dutch water, where they have a perfectly free channel, how much more readily will Germany violate Dutch neutrality by seizing the Elushiug-Antwerp territorial water, where the Germans have no channel at all, and want one with vital desire? If they can push Holland into war, they will got the Antwerp channel easily. If they fail by that method, they can fall back on the precedent the Dutch have allowed them to establish at Emden. It is clear that the Gormans cannot hold Zcebruggo and Ostend very long. It is equally clear that they will require tho Antwerp channel. It is no loss clear that they have begun a movement which will give them that channel presently. If the plan is not forestalled by the Allies, Antwerp will be an open port presently, whether Holland remains neutral or joins Germany in tho war. The next step will bo the seizure, of Dutch ports, and the end will bo the" absorption of Holland into Germany, on tho broad plea of necessity, by which Germany justifies nil things, criminal and otherwise.