These sources said the British action would complicate foreign relations in that it created the opinion that Italy's attitude makes the Mediterranean unsafe for shipping.
They recalled that British observers believed the move was taken to prevent heavy losses to English merchant shipping in the event Italy should enter the European war against the Allies.
Well-informed circles reiterated, however, that, while Italy was not opposed to other nations using the Mediterranean, foreign Powers should not believe their interests were more important than Italy's "vital interests"—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.