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Show oo LESS OPTIMISTIC IN WASHINGTON Washington, Jan. 12 There was a cabinet meeting today to consider Karl drey's reply to the United States in the controversy with Great Britain over the seizure and detention of American ships and cargoes. After the cabinet meeting it was noted at the state department that a loss optimistic feeling prevailed as to the outcome of the diplomatic nego nations now pending. BeJfore the cabinet meeting President Wilson took occasion to say that he had not expressed any dissatisfaction over the note of Sir Edward Grey. He made it plain that he had expressed no opinion, opin-ion, stilting that he had not yet read the nnln The reasons for the growing uneasiness uneasi-ness among state department officials can be set down to two causes principally prin-cipally : First, that the expected seizure by Great Britain of the steamer Dacia, the Hamburg-American liner recently given American registry, will render the situation more acute. Second, the appeals which are being be-ing made b shippers that the United States shall stand firnih on the right of the United States to ship unmolested unmo-lested American cargoes destined to neutral ports. The Importance of this latter contention con-tention a high state department official of-ficial said today, cannot be over-estimated. The ground upon which this insistence insist-ence is made by shippers is this: The United States, Italy. Holland and the Scandinavian countries have agreed not to ship contraband to the enemies of Great Britain. Law Admits Shipments. There is no allegation on the part of Great Britain that her patrols have seized any United States vessel with contraband, the ultimate destination of which vessel was known to be a German or Austrian port. Whatever contraband has been shipped by the shippers of the LTnlted Mates h.is been sent to some port of the neutral countries named. The law admits the shipment of contraband con-traband at the risk of the shipper and the obligation to take contraband, rests with the belligerents whose interests in-terests would be affected by its enemy. en-emy. The United States shipper? having admittedly sent no contraband direct to the enemies of Great Britain, the United States contention is that American shippers are within their rights and have not violated the neu-I neu-I trality which has been guaranteed by the United States The United States contention is that if contraband cargoes out of the United States are finding their way into Germany and ustria through one of the neutral European countries, Great Britain's remedy lies with that country and not with the United States Will Show Figures. The state department and the White House are making efforts to present commercial statistics to show that Sir Edward Grey's figures were incorrect and misleading. Collector of the Port of NTev York Dudley Field Malone was at the White House today and, although it is officially said that he was there "on another matter," it is known that the statistics from Xew York are the most valuable in meeting the issue raised by Sir Edward Ed-ward When he was leaving the White House. Mr Malone was asked to explain ex-plain some of the ways in which Brit ish practices were harmful to Amer ican trade. He ited as an example that it costs shippers from $500 to $1000 a day to charter ships and pointed to the case of a ship costing that much in charter charges sailing for Rotterdam with a mixed cargo consigned to an individual indivi-dual in Holland. Accompanying the shipment, he said, there might be an affidavit to the effect that the consignment, con-signment, so far as the shippers know, is a bona fide one. Costs Raised The ship is held up on the high seas, taken to a British port and detained de-tained two or three weeks. The British Brit-ish government may decide to take a pari, of the cargo, paying the shipper therefor. But the $1000 a day charge during the period of detention, he declared, de-clared, damages paid could not cover the general demoralization which the seizure causes, not only to the particular particu-lar shipper involved, but to American shipping generally. The case of the Dacia, which is directly connected with tho question of seizures and detentions, has been brought by Great Britain to the attention at-tention of the state department Tfie British admiralty has merely advised the department that it takes cognizance cogniz-ance of the purchase by an Americau of this Hamburg liner and reserves action. Secretary Bryan would not say today to-day what the action of this government govern-ment would be with reference to the Dacia, if she were seized by Great Britain One of the Important officials of-ficials however, said: "If Great Britain's right should not be challenged at the instant of the seizure there will be nothing left but to allow Great Britain to take the Dacia into a prize court and appeal from its decision if adverse to the Dacia, on the ground of "a denial of Justice." |