Great Britain realized that she could never win unless her fleet were permitted to keep contraband out of Germany and, if necessary, completely to blockade that country.

The two greatest conflicts of the nineteenth century were the European struggle with Napoleon and the American Civil War.

In both the blockade had been the decisive element, and that this great agency would similarly determine events in this even greater struggle was apparent.

What enraged the British public against any suggestion of the Declaration was that it practically deprived Great Britain of this indispensable means of weakening the enemy.

In this Declaration were drawn up lists of contraband, non-contraband, and conditional contraband, and all of these, in English eyes, worked to the advantage of Germany and against the advantage of Great Britain.