ALLIED NOTE TO SWEDEN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3558, 19 September 1916, Page 6

ALLIED NOTE TO SWEDEN.

BLOCKADE TO BE STRENGTHENED.

(Australian ami ' N.Z. Gable Service.) v <' LONDON, September 17. ."••' The Allies- Note against the Bwodish measures for regulating the navigation of her territorial Wawrs in the Baltic shows that a French Note declared firstly, that Sweden prevented submarine navigation of her 'territorial waters except by Gjerrnan submarines, which employ a commercial pretext; secondly, that Sweden reserves tho route through, the minefield in the Kogund Pass for Swedish vessels exclusively, .which; is contrary to the Franco-Swedish commercial treaty; thirdly, that Sweden thus closes against non-Swedish vessels the only route from the Sound to the Baltic, which is out of reach of German war ressels, but keeps open the Kalmar Strait, which is accessible to Swedish and German vessels only. It is oven stated that German vessels are escorted as a protection against Russian warships. Sweden thus completes Germany's 'Baltic barrier between the Russians and the Anglo-French Fleet, and consequently Sweden's , attitude towards on© group of belligerents is' incompatible with fair and impartial neutrality. i •'.-Sweden's reply to this Noto is couch- i in acrimonious language. It strong-I ly- disputes the charge of partiality, and states that she cannot discuss the subject. The Note declares that the allegations are based on imperfect knowlodg© of the facts in isolated in- ] stances,; and adds that Sweden is tho sole judge aa to how she shall legitimately preserve her rights and- discharge her duties.