THE AMBASSADOR AND THE LAWYERS References in the foregoing letters show that Page was still having his troubles over the blockade.

In the latter part of 1915, indeed, the negotiations with Sir Edward Grey on this subject had reached their second stage.

The failure of Washington to force upon Great Britain an entirely new code of naval warfare--the Declaration of London--has already been described.

This failure had left both the British Foreign Office and the American State Department in an unsatisfactory frame of mind.

The Foreign Office regarded Washington with suspicion, for the American attempt to compel Great Britain to adopt a code of naval warfare which was exceedingly unfavourable to that country and exceedingly favourable to Germany, was susceptible of a sinister interpretation.