292 LIFE OF SIR JOHN LUBBOCK oh.xuh 



3. It does nothing to prevent the conversion of 

 merchant vessels into commerce destroyers on the high 

 seas. 



4. When we are neutrals it permits our shipping to 

 be sunk and creates much uncertainty. 



For instance, if I ship flour or rails or fuel to a belli- 

 gerent port, who is to say whether that port is to be 

 considered a base of supply ? If it is so considered my 

 vessel (a neutral) may be captured and sunk. How 

 can I fix my freight or my insurance premium under 

 these conditions ? 



I am a shipowner and underwriter and I have studied 

 the Declaration carefully — I gave evidence before the 

 Food Supply Committee of National Guarantee of War 

 Risks, and my honest conviction is that the Declaration 

 intensely aggravates the evils which both you and I de- 

 plore. Please forgive me for troubling you, and believe 

 me, yours faithfully, F. Leverton Harris. 



A copy of the Memorandum was sent by Lord 

 Avebury to Sir Edward Grey, who repUed that he 

 was glad to see that the conclusions arrived at by 

 the Chamber had not Lord Avebury's support, 

 and stating that the Chamber's objections to the 

 Declaration were really based on a misapprehen- 

 sion of the International Law touching the point — 

 misapprehension which he hoped would shortly 

 be removed by a forthcoming Blue-book. Lord 

 Avebury had emphasised the fact, in his state- 

 ment to the Chamber, that so long as we kept 

 command of the Channel our food supplies were 

 secure ; and Sir Edward says that he was glad to 

 see emphasis thus directed to a fact that was 

 very frequently lost sight of. 



