set forth in the above regulations of the Admiralty as regards shipments of copper from the U. S. A. to neutral countries, and we assent to the terms of the letter of January 2, 1915, from Richard Webb, Director of Trade Division, to Messrs. C. S. Henry & Company, Ltd., a copy of which letter, marked Exhibit 'A', is attached hereto." Blank Company STATEMENT ISSUED BY BRITISH EMBASSY AT WASHINGTON, MAY 3, 1915, TELLING AMERICAN SHIPPERS HOW TO EXPORT TO EUROPEAN NEUTRAL COUN TRIES "The British Embassy have received since the issue of the Order in Council of March 11 numerous applications from shippers of American produce for information and advice on general lines as to the steps which ought to be taken by them to facilitate the quicker expedition and passage of consignments of goods to neutral designations for neutral consumption. "The British Embassy can give no assurance as to the immunity from visit and search or detention of any particular shipments, but with regard to consignments of non-contraband articles as well as of articles of conditional contraband, they are authorized to state that in cases where adequate information is furnished by consignors to show that the goods shipped are neutral property and are to be used exclusively for consumption in neutral countries or by the Allies, this will be taken into consideration by the authorities charged with the execution of the Order in Council. This will also apply to shipments of certain descriptions of goods listed as absolute contraband. Such goods are, however, usually subjected to closer scrutiny and control, and in some cases to special arrangements. "It would greatly facilitate and expedite the work of clearing vessels bound to neutral ports, which call at or are brought into British ports for examination of their papers, if shipping houses or their agents would give British consular officers a duplicate of the final manifest of the vessel immediately on its departure for Europe in order that, if possible, it may be transmitted to the British authorities in London in time for it to be received and considered before the vessel arrives. "To further accelerate proceedings, manifests and bills of lading should disclose the exact nature of the goods and wherever it is possible the name and full business address of the ultimate consignee as well as the name and address of the consignor. "Shippers would avoid the use of generic descriptions such as hardware, dry salteries, machinery, &c., which are capable of being employed to conceal the real identity of goods classed as contraband. An exact definition of the specific character of consignments will save delay in their examination. It will also facilitate their identification with the articles comprised in the export embargo-lists of the country to which the goods are consigned. For example, in the case of lubricating oils, it should always be stated whether the oil is vegetable or mineral. The precise nature of animal and vegetable fats and oils should also be indicated. The term 'lard,' alone, for instance, is not adequate without some closer definition, because the lists of prohibited exports of certain neutral countries differentiate between various preparations and compounds of this article. "It should be clearly understood that the forwarding of goods to a neutral port is not proof that they are destined for neutral consumption. Consignors should always endeavor to procure and exhibit complete information as to the final destination of the goods. Shipments manifested 'to order' or 'in transit,' or with bills of lading addressed to a branch or agency of the consignors, or to 'commission agents,' 'banks' or 'forwarding houses' for account of an unnamed consignee, afford no evidence as to their ultimate destination. Wherever it is practicable, the full name and address of the ultimate consignee should figure in the documents relative to the goods concerned, and metals should, so far as possible, be addressed to the actual consumers and not to dealers. "In connection with the establishment of proof of ultimate destination, it may be observed that if goods definitely addressed to a neutral consignee can be clearly identified as being comprised in the export embargo list of the country to which they are consigned, this will be taken into consideration as corroborative evidence of their destinations for neutral consumption. Precision in describing goods will accordingly accelerate comparison with the lists of prohibited exports of neutral countries, and in the case of shipments to Sweden it would further hasten proceedings if the corresponding number of articles in the British tariff were always given in addition to the description of the goods. Certificates of final destination issued by the official representatives of the country concerned will be accepted as collateral evidence that the goods are for neutral use. "In all arrangements which may be made for shipments of goods under the supervision of British Consular authorities, it should be clearly understood that the right of visit and search or detention is not waived, but that the operations of verification which may be called for by the proximity of the countries of destination to Germany is simplified and expedited if con sular supervision has taken place and if full details are furnished. "With regard to shipments to the Netherlands, wheat and wheat flour and meal destined for consumption in that country should be consigned to the Netherlands government, and all other articles on the British contraband lists, as well as cocoa, coffee and tobacco, destined for consumption in that country, should be consigned to the Netherlands Overseas Trust. "Information as to the description of goods included in the British lists of absolute and conditional contraband will be furnished on application to any British Consul. "The foregoing recommendations are offered for the assistance of shippers, and compliance with them will materially hasten the expedition and passage of cargoes in cases where there is no further information at the disposal of the authorities of a nature to throw doubt on the neutral character of the goods or their neutral destination." CIRCULAR LETTER SENT TO AMERICAN IMPORTERS IN APRIL BY FOREIGN TRADE ADVISERS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT, EXPLAINING THAT THE FOREIGN TRADE ADVISERS WILL PRESENT TO THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR REQUESTS FROM UNITED STATES IMPORTERS TO LET THEIR GOODS PASS THE BRITISH BLOCKADE, ON THE GROUND THAT THE GOODS WERE BOUGHT AND PAID FOR BEFORE MARCH 1 The following note has been received from the British Embassy at this capital relative to the movement of Americanowned goods now in Germany to this country: "The British Embassy are authorized to state that in cases where a merchant vessel sails from a port other than a German port carrying goods of enemy origin for which American importers claim to have made payment prior to March 1, 1915, proofs that such goods were paid for before March 1 may be submitted for examination to the Embassy. If such proofs are presented at a sufficiently early stage to enable the report thereon to be communicated in time to the British authorities, the results of the investigation will be taken into account and due weight attached to them in deciding whether the goods concerned should be discharged under the provisions of Article IV of the Order in Council of March 11." On March 30, 1915, the government of the United States replied to the British Orders in Council assuming that the British government will not deny the rule that innocent shipments may be freely transported to and from the United States through neutral countries to belligerent territory without being subject to the penalties of contraband traffic or breach of blockade, much less to detention, requisition or confiscation, and that this would of course include all outwardbound traffic from the neutral country and all inward-bound traffic to the neutral country except contraband in transit to the enemy. While the government of the United States cannot in any way lend its aid in an official and formal manner to procuring American-owned goods now in Germany for the importers of the United States which would in the slightest degree amount to a recognition of the position of Great Britain in respect to non-contraband goods, especially from neutral ports, the Office of the Foreign Trade Advisers of the Department will aid informally American importers who desire to present proof of ownership of American goods in Germany for which American importers claim to have made payment prior to March 1, 1915. You are therefore advised that if you desire to submit proofs of your ownership of goods, paid for before March 1, for examination by the British Embassy, you may forward such evidence as you have to the Foreign Trade Advisers of the Department of State. In doing so, it is suggested that you incorporate with the evidence of ownership and payment information in the following order: 1. A history of the case, showing dates of payment, nature of the goods bought, location of goods at the present, date when they reached their present location, name of steamer on which it is desired to ship such goods, date of sailing of such steamer and all further information pertaining to origin, payment, and shipment of goods in your possession. 2. Original bank drafts or evidence of transfer of money from this country to belligerent country, verified by bank officials if possible. 3. (Paragraph cancelled.) 4. Invoices of goods and such other evidence as will prove the identity of the goods with those actually paid for. 5. Such other and further information in regard to the shipment of goods and payment there for as will be pertinent and corroborative. This evidence will be collated and presented to the British Embassy for communication to the British authorities. In presenting this evidence the Foreign Trade Advisers will act unofficially as your representatives and with the understanding that in so doing the Department does not recognize the position of the British government under Article IV of the Order in Council of March 11 or any other article contained in the |