Washington, Jan. 3.
The United States vigorously protested to Britain against interference of American mails on the high sens, the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, announced last night The United States, Mr. Hull disclosed. protested against British interference with 1,754 sacks of mail aboard the ships Black Gull, Zaandam, Black Tern and Astrid Thorn-den. The action, he said, was "believed to be a clear violation of the immunity provided at the Eleventh Hague Convention" which stipulated that postal correspondence of neutrals er belligerents was not to be violated on the high sea:
The United States Emt in London was instructed to protest en December 22. Mr Hull said. The protest cited specific instances which British authorities seized mail ^n board American and other neutral ships, some of which were addressed to Germany.
In addition, Mr. Hull said, "there have been many individual instances of British censorship of American mails" The United States "readily admits the right of the British Government to censor private mails ori-nating or destined to the United kingdom -ór... which normally pass through the United Kingdom for transmission to their final destination." Mr, Hull declared But, the Secretary of State continued, "we cannot admit the right of British authorities to interfere with American mails on American or other neutral ships, nor....the right of the British Government to censor mail on shies which involuntarily enter English ports."
Mr. Hull concluded with the hope that the State Department would "receive early assurances" that interference with American mails had been discontinued—United Press.
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