The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-04 00:00:00

BELLIGERENTS AND NEUTRALS,

-a-

MondaY ev'w

. The Juridical Society held a meeting on -
g to hear a paper read by Mr. 0 Clark, on "Ibe Fr;'- et-
i
m,.
to govern the
pies that ought mutually C. Conduct o oieutra
and Belligerents," Mr. Best, ono of the vice-Pre`idents,l
the chair. Mr. Clark said it did not appear that geDe'''
principles had been very attentively' considered in he de,
tided cases, in which there was rather to be found a desiro
to deal with the particular case, accompanied, P6rll42:iil a
fear of what might be the future result of any deel'l3-
of trinciples. Besides this, if the decision was higt, dayg
ie
remarks which accompanied it, and which were not alw
to be treated as dicta delivered ()biter, came, ill fact, „%erl
often to be considered as expressing rules °f laws it °",ht
toe bei distinctly stated that in all such matters the first PEI.:
p o, that which ought to govern the application of
others, was that of good faith. The neutral had a per ecie:
right to trade with every nation that was willing to lrs,
with him. The right was only subject, in principle, to l!,')
restriction of not doing anything which interfered with 7
necessities of actual warfare. Going, therefore, to a bl()c
aded and besieged port, even with ordinary goods' wasll,:
perly prohibited, for that might. decide the result of AV'
reference
en
vreeractcoefto
a whole
warfare. But there
which
herewasnneovesrucchouriedstprircotpioentiviyirll:
declared to bo in a state of blockade, and such a
I)°cl°l.a
never would have been permitted but that each aati°3
its turn hoped to profit by such an unjustifiable ant. rte
5.
practice of allowing such general blockades, an
ail an
wrong. in itself, had led to others. Such were those of stoip'
ping and searching vessels on the high seas, and, lat'fer'sf
offth e t
honiffegepnoosuritvtse
ooaftifad insultingtnheeamtneutral,
l ,Ta
nhpderna,eti
stoppingce of armed
coming
consistencies in ' • existing practices. Thus, enenlid good`'
freight was paid to the neutral. ,41dilt plc?
were seized on board of neutral ships,
,isit 00
The offence, •' it any, was trading. The truth was ,0"• 0
modificationr was introduced from the fear of roki'l.giot:
practice too monstrous, and so converting all neatrlw„,,ol
prancotitcheisnogfethhoerthhocfcpainracceyrsa, again, there were ',O
opponents.t The ruk of former times was to allow 8°"-e 4
as nothing
the exception was trade in contraband• fee elOillidjeil
eels without • • nthiemibtuartinoinngof
bringing them in for adjudication. ;int oleaer
000rnfvorenience or advantage, either for the naval c 00133511„ be
se
coramissioi-ro
the service of the Government who
so
nor courts
ocnorutld justify such a proceeding. The having is
s.was not a paramount necessity justifYil36,,t 0'
acts. While thus condemning the practice be was 1/"I: jt,
awarean of the fact that President Davis had sagges`e Fly
English officer, who related it in his travel P, °Pt of
ofth emrsereiliat;erer
for preventing for ever such an evil—nal:lloY, til3po
allowing the captor to bring his prizes into anYaeutil, iti-poll
and to ask for the adjudication of the neutral coll',.,dice
and
peP•tio.
them. The scheme was one which haste
mght at once condemn, but which deserved coasider%iler
colloid
and if the great maritime nations would seriauslY
andas i
it,and thought fit to adopt it, there might be rules frrioir
whichs would insure it a beneficial operation. Ill° co• Ds?
manratioanid, deration, propositionstwasint
otole the
late
epeirn
the deservedeveu
isrll a_ttloogtiv
ie. sde atilga
them, suggested '
an adjournment. Mr. Westlalcelu te up,
adjournment, which, being carried, the riveting' br°
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0 nin ewrch:lavatenspts: vliFijecsi:s.'e:l4'