Nelson's history of the war. Vol. XI., The struggle for the Dvina, and the great invasion of Serbia

172 APPENDIX II.

BLOCKADE MEASURES.

16. Second : The Government of the United States further desires to direct particular attention to the so-called blockade ”’ measures imposed by the Order in Council of the rrth March. The British note of the 23rd July I9I5 appears to confirm the intention indicated in the note of the 15th March 1915 to establish a blockade so extensive as to prohibit trade with Germany or Austria-Hungary, even through the ports of neutral countries adjacent to them. Great Britain, however, admits that it should not, and gives assurances that it will not, interfere with trade with the countries contiguous to the territories of the enemies of Great Britain. Nevertheless, after over six months’ application of the ‘ blockade ” order, the experience of American citizens has convinced the Government of the United States that Great Britain has been unsuccessful in her efforts to distinguish between enemy and neutral trade. Arrangements have been made to create in these neutral countries special consignees or consignment corporations, with power to refuse shipments, and to determine when the state of the country’s resources requires the importation of new commodities. American commercial interests are hampered by the intricacies of these arrangements, and many American citizens justly complain that their ona fide trade with neutral countries is greatly reduced as a consequence, while others assert that their neutral trade, which amounted annually to a large sum, has been entirely interrupted. 17. It makes this practice even more harassing to neutral traders that the British authorities require a consignor to prove that his shipments are not bound to an enemy of Great Britain, even when the articles are on the embargo list of the neutral country to which they are destined, and that notwithstanding the assertion in the last British note that interference with such trade by a belligerent can only take place ““ provided of course that he (the belligerent) can establish ”* that the commerce is with the enemy.