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Show PLAN 10 GUT OFF TRADEJDUTUNED ENGLAND PROPOSES TO SEVER ALL ARTERIES OF COMMERCE TO AND FROM GERMANY. I I I Agrees to Lift Blockade in Case Na- tion Certifies That Ships Flying Its Flag Will Not Carry Goods to Germany. London. In a formal proclamation signed in council by the king and is-; sund from Buckingham palace, Great I Britain made known to the world, on Monday, how she proposes to sever all the arteries of sea commerce to and from Germany during the period ' of the war. I As in Premier Asquith's speech ! forecasting the order, t he term "block-! ade" is not used and no prohibited ' area is defined. Nevertheless, Die ' text of the order makes plain Eng- J land's purpose to prevent commodities commodi-ties of any kind from reaching or leaving leav-ing Germany during the war. j British officials frankly called the movement a blockade, the foreign office of-fice describing it as an effective blockade, block-ade, differing from the effective blockades block-ades of history only in that the property prop-erty seized will not be confiscated outright, out-right, but sold, the proceeds eventually eventu-ally going to the owners. In the last clause of the proclamation proclama-tion is the proposal most interesting to neutrals. This is a fiat agreement to lift the "blockade" in case any nation na-tion will certify that the ships flying its flag shall not carry goods to Germany, Ger-many, or originating therein, or belonging be-longing to the subjects of the German empire. It is notable that the order declares no intention to capture ships proceeding proceed-ing to and from the countries of Ger- j many's allies, Austria and Turkey, the reason being, no doubt, that the measure meas-ure is avowedly a reprisal against the German submarine warfare. However, a cordon of ships will be maintained to shut off the commerce of German , ports and regulate trade in the war zone, although ships voyaging across the Atlantic will, it is said, be seized before they reach the North sea. When a neutral vessel is held up, in all cases, except where there is a false declaration, or other attempt at subterfuge, sub-terfuge, the cargo only will be seized. A copy of the order in council was handed to the American ambassador for transmission to Washington. |