Mare Liberum - The Freedom of the Seas #244767

In the second place Britain proposed the total aboli tion of contraband, mainly because in modern warfare it is practically impossible to decide what are and what are not munitions of war. The result of this proposal, had it been adopted, would have been that neutral vessels would have been absolutely safe from confisca tion, as well as from destruction, in all cases except where they attempted to force an effective blockade. Even if they were engaged exclusively in carrying on trade for the enemy, they might lose the enemy cargoes, by the decision of a prize-court, but their ships would be safe. Germany showed herself as hostile to this restriction as to the others. She insisted upon the maintenance of contraband, that is to say, upon the maintenance of a pretext for destroying neutral vessels, and received here the support of America. Once more Britain was the advocate, Germany the enemy, of the removal of restrictions on neutral trade in time of war.