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Show BRITISH OPPOSE Lip SEIZURE NOTE FROM ENGLISH GOVERNMENT GOVERN-MENT REGARDED AT WASHINGTON WASH-INGTON AS REFUSAL American Request May be Submitted for Final Judgment to Conference Confer-ence of Britain's Colonies 3 Miles Remains Limit-Washington, Limit-Washington, Great Britain has virtually turned down the proposal recently made by the American government gov-ernment to extend the legal limit I of searching ships at sea to 12 miles, j Announcement to this effect was j made a: the state department Wed-j Wed-j nesday. j Mhe position of the British govern- ment was outlined in a note received ; at the state department, and was in j response to a communication recently handed the British foreign office by Secretary of State Hughes in which he proposed the reciprocal right of seizure and search for 12 miles, instead in-stead of the customary three miles. The refusal of the British to accede ac-cede to the American request was softened by a promise to submit the proposal to the imperial conference to be held in London in October and which will be attended by the premiers pre-miers of all British colonies. In view of the attitude of London, however, submission of the proposal to the imperial conference is looked ' upon in Washington as holding forth little hope that there will be any change Jn the present thre-e mile limit. The text of the British note was not made public. It was said at the state department, depart-ment, however, that this government does not regard the case as closed. Secretary Hughes was actuated In proposing the twelve mile limit because be-cause of liquor running. Dozens of British ships are now in the liquor carrying trade, bringing their cargoes to within three miles of the American Ameri-can shore and discharging them to American boats which run the three mile limit. |