His mind revelled in such minute details as ultimate destination, the continuous voyage as applied to conditional contraband, the searching of cargoes upon the high seas, belligerent trading through neutral ports, war zones, orders in council, and all the other jargon of maritime rights in time of war.

These topics engrossed him as completely as the extension of democracy and the significance of British-American cooeperation engrossed all the thoughts of Page and Grey.
That Page took this larger view is evident from the communications which he now began sending to the President.

One that he wrote on October 15, 1915, is especially to the point.

The date is extremely important; so early had Page formulated the standards that should guide the United States and so early had he begun his work of attempting to make President Wilson understand the real nature of the conflict.

The position which Page now assumed was one from which he never departed.
_To the President_ In this great argument about shipping I cannot help being alarmed because we are getting into deep water uselessly.