Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 309, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1914 — AMERICAN NOTE EXCITES LONDON [ARTICLE]

AMERICAN NOTE EXCITES LONDON

Newspaper “Play” Ship Protest as Big Sensation and Speculation is Rife as to Possible Result. London, Dec. 29.—The American note protesting against the British treatment of American commerce and insisting upon an early improvement came as a completed surprise to the British piiblk, as there had been virtually no intimation that any friction had arisen twfeen the two governments. The placards posted by the evening papers were given over exclusively to the American note, and the papers gave it the largest headlines they have given any news’ during the past month. Consequently the British people regard this as one of the most important occurrences of the whole war. Nothing of the kind since President Cleveland’s Venezuelan message has produced such a sensation. The first impression of the public is that the note may create friction and perhaps some unfriendly feeling, although the newspapers point out that it specifically states that, the representations were made in a friendly spirit. The situation is comparable to that which arose at the time of the South African war, when neutral shippers began to send cargoes intended for the Transvaal republic to the neutral port of Deligoa Bay.