Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-11-09


with respect to the beliigeren, powers.
+ When, therefore, one of these latter
stations force before port belonging
TO the enemy, with sn intention to re-
duce it by force or starvation, and a
neutral vessel attempts 30 supply thar
enemy with provisions, which would
enable him to hold OUT the longer, il
is an interference in the contest, the
vessel loses her neutral character, and
when taken is con iJered as good
prize. But whilst the neutral nation
observes strict impar,ialiry between
the powers at war, the law OF nations
guarantees to her the usual commerce.
with each of the contending parties,
and this cannot be prevented without
an lnfraction of that law. The neutral
may fairly trade with either party at
lany open port of their dominioDa
which has not naval force stationed
bS.c-e it; for it is the force and NOT
the declaration that constitutes the
blockade.
Formerly blockade implied an in
vestment by land us well as by sea:
and the difference between a siege and
a blockade shews the reason of it. A
siege is continual and active endea-
vor to get possession Of place
blockade Is an attempt TO reduce il bv
obsrucing all supplies sent for lis re.
llet: In siege, there is positive ex-s
ertlon OF force upon those in the for
tress or town; in blockade, the force
is chiefly employed in preventing the
approach and entrance Of supplies fer
the garrison or inhabitants. TIE
blockade, therefore, to be complete in
its effect, requires an entire invest
ment of the whole town or fortress
that Is hlockaded; for, how can place
be compelled to submit through ia
mine, whilst there is any opening at
which to receive provisions and pre-
vent starvation? The modern prsc-
tice, however, introduced by the pro-
gress OF commerce, does not enioin a
complete Investment but, simply, a
naval force so stationed before place
as to make the entrance dangerous.
The law of nations is clear upon dis
head. The two cases cite Nv Va,tel
lbook 8, ch. 7 117,) include actual
force in blockade; and not only force
In general, but particular force de-
} voted to the continued obstruction of
: the entrance of the port blockaded.
: That ofking Demesrius, Quoted from
Plutarch,) who "hung up the master
and pilot of a vessel carrying prcvions
to Athens" expressly states that the
king had "almost reduced the civ
hU f..fr, 4 L
and bloody war carried on by the Uni.
ted Provinces against Spain, for the
recovery Of their, Liberties, thew refu-
sed the English the liberty of CARVING
goods to Dunkirk," the Dutch Acct
lay before the place.
D In the convention concluded be.
tween Russia and Great Britain on the
21st of February, 1897, the following
provision was introduced: That to
determine what characteristics block
, AIDED port, this denomination shall be
5 given to such only as, when, by tbs
disposition of the power who s,tacks il.
+ with vessels at anchor or sufficiently
( near, there is manifest danger In en-.
tering"
On the 27th OF October, 1908, the
government OF the United States COM
planned to that of G. Britain against a
IPaper-blocksde of the islands of Mar.
Unique and Guadaloupe, and the Bril-
. fish sovereign, considering the subject
OF complaint as "grievance," conn
manded orders to issue from the adj
, miralty Office, and they did issue, to
: commodore Hood, "not to consider
= any blockade of those islands as exis-
ing, Unless in respect of particular
4. Ports which may be actually invested,
and ;nen not to capture vessels bound
{. to such ports unless they shall previ-
I ously have been warned not to enter
, them," and at The same time were al.
so sent "the necessary direc ions on
\ the subject to the judges Of the vice
+, admiralty courts in the Yves. Indies
h, aud America"
j On the 18th of April, 1904, Mr..
. Merry announced to Mr.. Madison in
{, an official note, that the siege Of Cur
. racoa had been converted into a block