News from England.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 215, 19 February 1915, Page 5

News from England.

SPEECH BY FIRST LORD. fiL ' i NORTH SEA FLEET DOMINATES j WORLD SITUATION". | 50 DOUBT 01' GERMAN , INFERIORITY. j BATi'IiE CONFIDENTLY AWAITED. J Times »n.! Sydney Sun Services. Received 18, 5.-5 p.m. | London, February 18. Mr Churchill, speaking in the House of Commons, said the Gorman army was not more ready for an offensive v-'ur on a gigantic scale than the British fleet foi national defence. "It must never be forgotten," lie said, "that, the situation in every sea is dominated and de-> cided by the influence of Sir John Jellicoe's fleet. * "I don't know at what hour Lord Kitchener may ask the Admiralty to more twenty thousand, or ever, forty "thousand men. And lie doesn't know, until wc tell him, how we shall mo'.: them, or to what ports. Our plans arc frequently changed purposely at th? very last moment. Wc have powerful and "bexible machinery to move whole armies with celerity wherever desired and in a manner never before contemplated." Referring to the fight at Dogger Bank, he said that this conflict between the finest ships of both navies vindicated tli>: 1% gun armament policy identified with Admiral Sir John Fisher. A remarkable feature was that all our ships had exceeded their previous records. "Here's a squadron," he said, "that has been constantly at sea for six month:; Suddenly the greatest trials are demanded of the <igines, and all excel their peace-time record*. Admiral Beatty's action shov.s that at five to four in "representative ships the Germans must be accept--! without doubt or' hesitation as to their inferiority. When, if ever the great fleet sets out for general battle, we hope to bring into line a preponderance of not five to four, but something considerably greater." He added: "We have good reasons to believe that the economic pressure the navy exerts is beginning to be felt in Germany."

BRITAIN'S REPLY TO AMERICA. | OX THE CONTRABAND QUESTION". A DISTINCTION WITHOUT A DIFFERENCE. Received 18, 10.15 p.m. London, February 17. The Press Bureau states that Sir Edward Grey's reply to the American Note l on the contraband question on February I 10th points out that nowadays trade and J finance are cosmopolitan, and neutral ■commerce cannot escape grievous dislocation during a great war. American exports of all merchandise except cotton during the first seven months of 1914' declined 141 per cent., while exports of the same articles from August to November dropped less than four per cent. Consequently, excluding cotton, the egect pf the* war had been to arrest the decline of American exports. Any decrease in exports attributed to the war was essentially due to cotton, which was not contraband. The Note reviews the history of the prize courts, and shows that Britain's exercise of belligerent rights causes a, minimum delay to neutrals. The announcement of Germany's intention to sink merchantmen cargoes without verification of nationality or providing for the safety of non-com-batants and crews made it necessary for: the British Government to consider mea-j sures of protection. It was impossible for one belligerent to depart from the Tules and precedents and for others to remain bound thereby. Sir Edward Grey points out that the distinction between foodstuffs destined for civilians and those for armed forces disappears when the distinction between the civil population and armed fores disappears. However much good* may be intended for civil use. they will be consumed by the military if exigencies require, especially'now that the German Government lias taken control of all foodstuffs.

PRISONERS ILL-TREATED. STRONG REPRESENTATIONS TO 1 AMERICA. 1 Received 18, 10.15 p.m. London, February 17. In the House of Commons, Mr Nell Primrose, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, announced that Britain had made fitrony; representations to the United States as to the treatment of prisoners by German v. drawing attention to the pro\ i-iorin of the Habile Convention.

OUR AVIATORS' OPERATIONS. I i CONFINED TO MILITARY j Received 18. 5.11 p.m. ! Times and Svdnev Sun Services. j London. February 17. ! In connection with the air raids r.n j the German coast, the Admiralty <i ; - nounces that instructions are alway i-"-sued to confine the attacks to points of military importance. The aviators are using every effort to avoid bombing residential parti. i x

A WHITE PAPER. SIR EDWARD GREY. EXPLAINS.. TRADE WITH GERMANS BRITAIN'S RIGHT OF SEARCH. Received IS, 11.15 p.m. . London, February 17. Sir Edward Grey, in a 7000-words Wlnte Paper, addressed to -Mr Page, again insists that the United States trade with neutrals lias actually i!i creased since the war, showing that a substantial part was intended for the enemy* Ho instances the United States exports ot meat products to Denmark, and oil to Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The elaborate German machinery for the simply of foodstuffs from oversaes is now coming to light, and under the circumstances it would be absurd t" give a definite pledge not to interfere 'in cases where supplies can be proved to be for the use of the enemy's force merely because of the expedient adopted of shipping to an agent at a neutral port. If neutrals are suffering a shortage of ocean transport, it is not due to Britain's interference, for only eleven neut-al vessels are awaiting the adjudication of the Prize Court. Britain does not object to their release upon bail, and iiiat the detention of neutral sh'ps had not contributed to the shortage- as much a? the mines laid indiscriminately* on the- -ligH seas, which had already destroyed -25 neutral vessels. A century ago the difficulties of laud transport rendered it impracticable to obtain seaborne goods through neutral nations. !mt the advent of steam mad 1 liiis easy. The United States in the civil war first practised tile capture of contraband destined for the enemy, but shipped it to a neutral port. Britain was 'now facing the problem of intercepting ."implies wii'c'e. had been arranged bv an elaborate >rgani .ation with expenditure: hence it was necessary to in-jnire a.* to the destination of particular shipments, even if a slight delay occurred, < therwi.-e she would have to abandon her be ligerent rights, and prolong the war es well as inrrense t'le loss and sulftring of the world. Hie system of making inquiries was a new departure, but it was wholly to th? advantage ot neuttals. The growth in the size of steamships often neecs-:i-tated their being taken into calm water. Cruisers encountered many neutral merchantmen under conditions impossible to launch i boat. During the civil war the United States took vessels to a port, and similar action was taken in the Ru/so-Japanese war. The right to soarcli was especially necessary when merchantmen were able to lav mines, and were even fitted for the discharge o? torpedoes and were able to conceal their supplies for submarines under their other cargo .Britain was making every effort to reduce the delays to a minimum.

These most difficult questions in connection with conditional contraband arose over foodstuffs. Bismark, in 1885, refused to intervene in connection with the treatment ol rice as contraband, urging that the necessary evils of war may be increased jjy interference by neutrals with the manner in which another Power carries on the war. Bismarck added that the 'object of the measure, which was to shorten war by increasing the enemy s difficulties, was justifiable if impartially enforced o n all neutral ships. Sir E. Grey says that the British Government is disposed to think that Germany is still maintaining this view. He concludes by recalling that Britain established a special committee to ensure tin' speedv release of neutral goods aboard enemy's ships, this being highly appreciated by many Americans. Similarly Britain consented to waive her belligerent rights where ships belonged to companies incorporated in Germany, i but were owned by American corporaj tions. When the facts were better ' known, he hoped it would be apparent to Americans that Britain was acting o n lines consistent with the fundamental principles of international law, and was exercising her belligerent rights with every possible consideration for the interests of neutrals.

SAFE RETURN OF AVIATORS. COMPENSATION" TO INJURED PASSENGERS. OX MERCHANT SHIPS. CASES OF FRO-T-BITE. Received 18, 11.30 p.m. London, February 18. Tile fortv aviators returned safely. The Board of Trade announces that compensation is payable to all persons i on British merchant ships injured owing , I to hostilities. ■ Mr. Tennant. in the House of Comii mons, stated that there had been 11175 ■ cases' of frost-bite up to January -t.

TFIE EXCHANGED PRISONERS. BRITISH BADLY TREATED. Amsterdam. February 17. The 11(1 returning British prisoners eagerly listened to the news and cheeied on learning of the Valklands victory and the loss of the Blueher. Tlie.v state that thev were fairly well treat",l i„ the hospitals, but the treatment, in tile interned wi re almost starved and the food was Oitlv lit for pigs. They were kicked '■! ;iiev mad. the slightest eomplainl. The British .rid German wounded met it Flustiing and chatted concerning their [ life during their imprisonment.