Great Britain declared the entire North Sea a military zone as of November 5, 1914, imposing a blockade of Germany with nets, mines, and ships from Scotland across the northern end of the North Sea, and at the mouth of the English Channel. Germany's response depended on its submarine fleet.
Die Blockade EnglandsUnsere Unterseeboote bei der ArbeitThe Blockade of EnglandOur submarines at workReverse:Serie 2652/6Logo: R&K (?)
"On January 26, 1915, it was announced that the German Federal Council had decided to take under its control all the stocks of corn and flour in the country, on and from February 1st. It was at once anticipated that this measure would cause the British Government to regard all cargoes of foodstuffs destined for Germany as consigned to the German Government, and therefore contraband of war."
Great Britain declared the entire North Sea a military zone as of November 5, 1914. It was well-positioned to impose a blockade of Germany with nets, mines, and ships from Scotland across the northern end of the North Sea, and at the mouth of the English Channel. Other Allied points of control included Gibraltar, Suez, and locations off Barcelona, Spain and Genoa, Italy.Britain's blockade became increasingly restrictive as neutral ships were stopped and boarded, originally for military supplies, but increasingly for anything that could have a military use.
The Great Events of the Great War in Seven Volumes by Charles F. Horne, Vol. III, 1915, p. 55, copyright © 1920 by The National Alumnia, publisher: The National Alumni, publication date: 1920
1915-01-26, January, 1915, blockade, war zone
