Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-01-08
DOCUMENTS

accompanying me FreSzde1t'S Mes.
sage.
(CONTINUED.)
Extract of a letter from Mr.. King. Min.
-Plenipotentiavy Of the United States
atLondon, to Mr.. Pickering. Secretary Of
State, dated London, July 18th, 1893. ;
Seven or eight Of our vessels,
laden with valuable cargoes, have
been lately captured, and are still
detained for adjudication these
vessels were met in their VOYAGES
to and from the Dutch ports, deciar-
ed tobe blockaded. Several notes n
have passed between Lord GrenyiIlc
and me upon this subject; with the
view, on my part, of establishing a
more limited and reasonable inter.
probation of the law of blockade
than is attempted to be enforced bv
the English government. Nearly
one bundled Danish, Russian, and
other neutral ships, have, within a
few months, been, In like manner,
Intercepted, gong to and returning
fromthe United Provinces. Manv,
of them, as we'll as some OF ours.
arrived in the isexel, in the course
of the last winter; the severity Of
which obliged the English fleet to
return to their ports, leaving few
frigates only to make short cruizes
off the 1exel, as the season would
allow.
My object has been to prove,
that in this situation ofthe investing
feet, there can be no effective bloc
kade; which, in my opinion, can
no. be said to exist, without a com.
potent force stationed and present
at or near the entrance OF b!ocka-.
ded port.''
Extract of letter from Mr.. King to Lord
Grenyil'e, dated Downing Street, Lon.
don, May 2sd, 1893.
" 1t seems scarcely necessary to
observe, that the presence of a COM
petent force is essential to consti-
tute blockade and although it is
usual for the belligerent to give no.
tice to neutral nations, when he in
stitlItes a blockade, it is not custo-
mary to give any notice Of its dis.
continuance and that, consequent
ly, the presence of the blockading
force is the natural criterion, by
which the neutral is enabled to as
certain the. existence Of the block
ade; in like manner, as the actual
inyestmentofa besieged place is the
only evidence by which we decide,
whether the Siege is continued or
raised. a siege may be commep-
ced, raised, recommended, and rails
ed again but its existence, at any
precise time, must always depend
upon the fact Of the presence of ain
investing army. This interpretati-
on ofthe law of blockade is of pc
culiar importance TO nations sitla-
ted az great distance from each o.
thcr, and between whom a consi-
derable length OF time is necessary
to send and receive information.
Extract of lctser from MIR. MsrshalI
Secretary Of State, to MIR. King, dated
sept. Goth, 1900.
/" he right to confscate vessels
bound toa blo-kaded port, has been
pnssascDably extended to cases not
coming within the rule, as hereto
fore adopted.
On principle, it might well be
questioned, whether this rule can
DC applied to. a place, not complete
ly invested by land as well as by sea.
Ii we examine the reasoning, on
which is founded the right to inter
cept and confscate supplies, de-
signed for a IolockaCled town, it will
be difficult to resist the conviction,
tha; IT'S extension to towns, invested
by sea only, IS an unjustifiabIe en-
Croachment On the right ofncuuals.
tut Il IS not Of this departure from
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