Before we leave the subject of the American Note we
must call attention to the following passage in an article in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, quoted in Friday's Times. It needs no comment of any kind:— "The real injury to American commerce was inflicted, in the first place, by the Treasury Department when it ordered that manifests were not to be made public until thirty days alter the vessel had sailed. Mr. McAdoo conceived the brilliant idea that it was unfair for British agents to discover the shipment of contraband cargoes. Unfair to whom P Snell cargoes in international law are transported at owner's risk. Did the Secretary to the Traseury propose to make the Government a partner in the enterprise of selling contra- band P Did he regard it as unfair to Germany if Great Britain by her control of the sea was able to seize them P Is this the Administration version of neutrality P Unfairness was shown to American shippers whose goods were not liable to seizure. Great Britain had made it perfectly plain that she wished to interfere with American commerce as little as possible. Mr. McAdoo made interference inevitable. Shipping interests objected to his order at the time. It was one that never should have been issued. Now that its inevitable consequences have been revealed it is idle for the Preeident to befog the issue by an attack on the British Government."
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