29 JANUARY 1916, Page 2

We have dealt elsewhere with the blockade debate which took

place in the House of Commons on Wednesday, and will only mention here that on the whole the Government made out a very good case, not only as regards their vigilance and the strength of their naval operations, but also as regards the formulae under which those operations take place—that is, under Orders in Council rather than by the proclamation of a regular blockade. For ourselves, we maintain the attitude which we have always held—that we do not care what the system is called as long as we practise an effective siege of Germany. Far more important, however, than the justification of Government actions was the clear and unbending language used by Sir Edward Grey as regards neutrals.