The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-09-27

I'm Decree, in 1905.
There could be no sufficient apology for
an addition to what has been said upon this SUBJ
iect, II il were not all,mportsnt, became
engaged in mar, to prove that the conduct Of q
Britain in the present conflict, and before the
date OF the Berlin decree, was such as no neu-
trial could assent to, without madness or crimi-
nslty and which 40 considerable belligerent
could be expected to endure. We proceed to
add to the thirteen specified anti-neutral acts OF
her government, art Gle 80
Is XIV In the month Of May, 1906, while C.
Britain was making the aforementioned opera,
tons upon the neutrsls allies and enemies on
the principal rivers OF the German can, and on
tbs Baltic sea, her government through Their
minister, Mr. Arburthnot, demanded of the
Grand Seignior, or Sultan OF the Turkish En-
pire. that he should make with 6 Britain
particular Treaty, favorable TO her commerce
and TO her ootrey IN oar, aud inJur Gus TO the
trade and power of her adversaries' This trea-
Nv, the British minister in Constantlnopie re-
ouired the Turkish government forthwith to
make; and he explicitly threatened the inde
nendent neutral g0Vsrrrient Of Turkey, with the
terrors aud de struction of British fleet, all
their I.evsnt coast. if they did not obey this
peremptory foreign belgerent mandsmus -
When Britain was found attempting to extend
her trade and acquire allies, in May, 1906, by
this mons,rous military HuresS, no rational mar
iy;ll wonder, that the idea of the Berlin decree
entered into the mind of so sagscious and war
like prince as the Emperor of France, in the
Following November
XIV lit is known, that the Turkish Empire
extends to the eastern side of the Ionian or W
netiap Sea- commonly called fhe Adyidt;c. The
following cooperation between Great Britain
and n powerful ally, and the fleets OF both st-
-fecting Turkey, Venice snd all the shores of
chat interesting Sea, will be considered in due
connection with the fourteenth article. Turkey
had refused the Treaty, which that article pro.
.nosed, and had driven way the British MINIS
ger and fleet, so recently as in May. The world
will remember the famous StoRe-skot fired by
the Turks atthe British squadron
IN the month of October, 1906, the American
Nublic were made acquainted with the official
annunciation OF the British kings order of
blockade ESQ called without law, or right re
specting Venice. The following notice OF that
pretentied blockade was iblished in the Wash
ingten Intelllgencer.
II was observed that the newspapers of the
United States had published the following re.
cent act of the British executive government. j,
exceeds all the former Irregularities of Eng
land, and is of course uncommonly injurious to
neutral rights.
Downing Street, Juky Is, 1906
BLOCKADE OF VENICE
q The king has been pleased to cause it to b.
a signfied by the right honorable Chas ms
g Fox, hls Majesty's prime pal eiary o. slate
for foreign alta rs, TO the ministers of FRIEND
d " and neutral powers residing at dis court,
CO that his majesty has judged il expedIent (tJr
the protection of his subjects, Gnc the annoyance
Uof his enemies : 20 establish the most rigorous
blockade at the entrance OF the port OF Ven
"ice, and to maintain and enforce the same m
the strictcst manner, according 70 the usag OF
Ct. l. Eledo ed N SIR ilaI
81 cases and the port of Venice must ne
60 considered as beng IN d state OF blockade !;
and that from this time all the measures
IS authorised by the laws of nations, and the
respective treaties between his majesty and
"the different friendly aud neutral powers,
will be adopted and executed with respect
e'to all vessels attempting to violate the said
srblockade."
1t is certain, that the mere or general
Ysystecfioa of the Subjects" Of belligerent power
Is not legitimate reason for a blockade; nor
ii the mere general annoyance Of enemies"
a lawful object of a blockade Nor is II Gas L
is beHeved) by any means within the law of ma
lions, that the executive government of coun.
try, at the distance of some thousands of miles,
should declare port at the further extremity
of Europe in a state of blockade. This is All
act only INT and proper tor zIltiftdry Hdoai
commander actually investing the place. The ma
Sonal CIVIL power has NO right TO eStabliSh
k15locknde" of u remote port. An enemy, or
gale OF wind may have destroyed the little feet
Of the blockader. 1t might not have arrived.
This act from MIR. Fox's Office Tin Downing
street, is entirely unsupported by the law OF
Nations In the three particulars mentioned, and
these are its whole essence. ii is curious
rretence, that the protection of the subjects of
Great Brtsia required the blockade OF Venice
The nearest of them were the British force in
Sicily. Ittcr this act, any purpose for blockade
enay be assigned. So the mere annoyance OF an
enemy is a curious pretGnce for blockade
Hereafter a declaration of war may be deemed
oonstructively TO legslse universal OoUsLE
blockades, for it will then be the object OF each
belIigerent to 3" annoy" its enemy. 1t is impos-
sible nationally to account for such open, CONT
nued, new and diversified violations OF the law
of natioas, of neutral rights and trade.
Our notice of this act before the Berlin de-
cree. is positive evidence that it was anticipated
that the pretended OF nominal British blockade of
Venice tsoEid form precedent be follow, d or
yefaiased BY their enemies, which would occa
sioB, that precedent to be rniDoas TO neutral
rights and cOmmerce.--So has It proved.
il is remarkable that Russia early III 1906
made blockade OF all the ports OF the Adria-
tic, Gncludng Venice, Sc.) extending even to
the neutral ports. The British and the Russians
adhere to their unprecedented treaty OF March
1898, 10 prevent, Gs Iy &c they could, ali The
lawful commerce Of neRtrdls yifh thor enc
mics, contrary TO tie iHdiSpHtd6Ie " uSageS sf
-tsGy.'
No treaty is safe with ANY power, 1rhieh
kiH not reseind sneh engagements ana Promise