Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-04-15

80 .'N '"Hf"n'- ana extensive connection OF
th's commerce, direct and oircuitous, with
the commerce, the IN 4nuTactures, the reven-
ue ana the general resources of the Brit
ISL nation, that in other respects, its mar
Iners on board American vessels may tru.
~ be SAID to be rendering il the most val
uah's services. 1t would not be extrava-
CANT to make 1t question, wheth er G. Bril-
tain would not suffer more by withdrawing
her seamen from the merchant vessels of
the y. States, than her enemies would suf-
fer from the addition of them TO the crews
of her ships of war and crnizers.
Should any difficulty be started concern
ing seanen born within the British domin-
ions, and naturalized by the u. States since
the treaty ct 1888 you may remove it by
Observing FIRST, that very few if any such
naturalizations can take place, the law here
reqnlring preparatory residence of five
years, with notice of the intention TO be-
come citizen entered OF record two years
before the last necessary Formally, besides
regular proof of good moral character,
conditions little likely to be complied with
by ordinary scafaring persons. Secondly,
that discontinuance of impressments on
the high seas will preclude an actual COL
lision between the interfering claims. With
IN the jurisdiction of each nation, and in
their respective vessels on the high seas,
claims. In, other situations, the iudvidu-
>als doub!y claimed will be within uris-
diction Independent of both nations
Cd. The British pretcnsions to domain
over the narrow seas are so obsolete, and
so indefensible, that they never would have
occurred as probable objection in this case,
if they had not actually frustrated an ar
rangemcnt settled by Mr. King with the
British ministry, on the subject of impress
ments from American vessels ON the high
seas. At the moment when the articles
were expected to he signed, an exception
of u "nat row seas" was urged and III
SIS G en- by lord St. Vincent, and bengut-
ter! inadmisible on our part, the nesocia-
ton was abandoned. Mr. King seems to be
of opinion, however, that with more time
than was left him for the experiment, the
objection might have been overcome. This
is not improbable, if the objection was nos
merely an expedent for evading a relin-
punishment of favOrite practice.
The objection in itself has certainly not
the slightest foundation. The time has
ben indeed, when England not only claimed
but exercised prctensions scarcely inferior
to full sovereignty over the seas surroun-
ding the British isles, and even as far as
Cape Finistere to the south, and Vdnsta
ten in Norway, to the north. 1t was
time however, when reason had little share
All determining the law and the intercourse
of nations; when power alone decided ques-
tions of right and when the ignorance
and want OF concert among other maritime
countries facilitated such an usurpation.
The progress OF civilization ard informa-
tien has produced Il change in AL those res
poets, and no principle in the code of pub
lie law, is at present better established,
than the common freedom of the seas, be-
You'd a very limited distance from the ter
ritories washed by them. This distance
is not indeed fixed with absolute precision.
1t IS varied in small degree by written
authorize and perhaps it may be reason
ably varied, in some degree, by local pc
cIliarities But the greatest distance
which would now be listened to any where,
would make small proportion of the mar
Fowest part of the narrowest seas in ques-
ton.
What are in fact the prerogatives claim
ed and exercised by Great Britain over
tiese seas If they were really part of
her domain, her authority would be the
same there as within her other domains
Foreign vessels wnuld be subject TO all the
laws and regulations framed for them, as
much as il they were within the harb rs or
rivers Of The country. Nothing of this scrr
is pretended. Nothing of this sort would ae
tolerated The only instances in which
these seas are distinguished from other seas,
or IN Which G.. Britain enjoys within them
an, distinction over other nations, are first,
the compliment paid by other flags to hers
secondly, tie extension of her territorisl ju-
rsG.Ction in certain cases TO the distance
st four leagues from the coast. The h:s,
IS relic OF ancient usurpation, which has
thus long escaped the correction, which
modern and more enlightened times have
applied 20 other usurpaiioDs. The prero-
gative has been often contested however,
even at Inc expense OF bloody wars, and is
skill borne with III VIII and Impotence by
her neighbors. At the last treaty OF peace
at Amiers, the abolition of IT was repeat
edly and strongly pressed by land il
is not improbable that at no remote day it
will follow the fate Of the title Of King Of
France so long worn by the British mon
archS and at length So properly sacrificed to
the lessons OF a magnanimous wisdom. T.
far as this homage TO the British nsg has
sny foundation at present, i rests merely
um long usage and long acquIesoence, which
arc construed, as in 4 few other cases Of ma
ri;ime claims, in the effect OF a general
thnJgh tacit convention. The second IN
stance is the extension OF the territorial u-
risdiction to four leagues fromethe shore.
his tco, as far as the distance may eX-