Great Britain filed no protest against the doctrine of "continuous voyage," but recognized its fundamental soundness, and since 1865 this doctrine has been a part of international law.
Great Britain's good sense in acquiescing in our Civil War practices now met its reward; for these decisions of American courts proved a godsend in her hour of trial.

The one neutral from which trouble was anticipated was the United States.

What better way to meet this situation than to base British maritime warfare upon the decisions of American courts?
What more ideal solution of the problem than to make Chief Justice Chase, of the United States Supreme Court, really the author of the British "blockade" against Germany?
The policy of the British Foreign Office was to use the sea power of Great Britain to crush the enemy, but to do it in a way that would not alienate American sympathy and American support; clearly the one way in which both these ends could be attained was to frame these war measures upon the pronouncements of American prize courts.

In a broad sense this is precisely what Sir Edward Grey now proceeded to do.

There was a difference, of course, which Great Britain's enemies in the American Senate--such men as Senator Hoke Smith, of Georgia, and Senator Thomas Walsh, of Montana--proceeded to point out; but it was a difference of degree.