On September 1st, 1916, the Government, through the War Trade Statistical Department, issued to the Press an official Memorandum on the question of the efficacy of the British blockade.
It barely amounted to the proverbial half-truth, and was pitiably feeble. It was more than unfortunate that the Government should rush into print just before the United States export figures were due for publication—only a week later.
These latter reliable statistics showed an extraordinary state of affairs:
Exports from U.S.A.
| 1914. | 1915. | 1916. | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| To Norway | 1,813,400 | 7,815,000 | 10,735,600 |
| To Sweden | 2,928,800 | 15,654,800 | 10,387,800 |
| To Denmark | 3,134,000 | 15,964,800 | 11,132,400 |
| To Holland | 22,443,200 | 28,653,400 | 19,852,600 |
| To Switzerland | 204,000 | 547,200 | 1,631,200 |
The Telegraaf, Amsterdam's leading journal, on September 11th, 1916, quoted Governmental statistics to account for the excessive rise in price of her home products, concluding by the statement that "Holland has sold her livelihood for greater war profits"; whilst all the Dutch Press seemed to deplore mildly the vast and unmanageable manner in which the smuggling of goods over the German frontier was permitted to continue.
The figures for meat, cheese, eggs, vegetables, and butter showed an average increased export of seventy-five per cent. on preceding years. Practically every ounce went to Germany or to territory under her rule.
On September 12th, 1916, Reuter's representative at the Hague was able to announce that: "The Dutch Overseas Trust had obtained the release of 420 tons of Kapok, Java cotton, and had also succeeded in removing the difficulties in the way of the importation of cocoa-beans."
Such paragraphs as the above could be found repeatedly by anyone who chose to search the Press. No wonder the smouldering wrath of the long-suffering British public became fanned to a flame and its confidence in its so-called representative Ministers correspondingly decreased.