The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-18

out in American ports ought to be followed up BY the
American English and French governments by DECLARE
ton that in all future they relin luish al claim
gnt 10 commission privateers that they will restrict
the operations OF war to the regularly organized forces
Of their respective countries and that they will insist
upon all other governments adopting the rules Of
igerent rights which her Majesty declares she cannot
foregothe right OF eizng articles Of war
es and Of enforcing effective bockades esabshed with
an adequate force'-cannot for 4 be called in
question After such a manifesto England engages in
10 work the better.
lfrom the London Chronicle March 29l
The second declaration contained in last nights sun
Elemental Gazette win be read with great satisfaction bv
all VINO have at heart the interests and the honor of the
country; Her Majesty announces her determination to
waHe, Tor the present, the right Of seizng enemys
property on board neutral vessel unless Il be contra
band Of war and every commercial State win feel the
Importance OF the concession thus literally granted The
old principle that all is lawful in war has too long
guided the counsels Of nations protesting to be Christian
and civilized but that barbarous maxim has now been
unhesitatingy, and we hope forever, abandoned Yet
must not omit to draw attention to the prudentiy
guarded terms in which the announcement is made Ths
right with which international us is Distinctly
asserted and its qualified REIMBURSEMENT is made as Il
ought to be- matter Of spontaneous generosity the
part of the crown.
possible moreover that circumstan ces may here
after arise which necessitate the withdrawal Of this
concession; and we may then fall back upon our
knowledged rights. But this is q contingency which we
need not anticipate 1t is enough for at present to
know that have done everything in power to mih
gate the evils nseparabe from war and that we have
set an example worthy Of the justice Of and Of
our high POSITION among the nations Of Europe
strict letter OF international law win be Of the utmost i'm
portance No harassng visations expensive litiga-
on and no questionable decisions will check the traffic
on which we SO largely depend both for internal
osperity and for the which we shall require
in the struggle on which have entered Nor
will this wise and liberal produce less bene
fetal effect on our political relations with foreign
frank concession could be safely made we we're un
able to overlook the danger Of disputes with the subec
ana with the governments other States which
might pave resulted from rigid adherence to the rule
on which We have formerly acted. The extensive com
merce Of the United States the scnsveness Of popular
feeling and the weakness Of the federal executive
dring probable that irritation and angry
correspondence would be the consequence the vista
ion OF American ships by British cruisers aud it is by
uncomfortable that evils might have fol-
lowed Nor must forget to mention the advantage Of
removing all temptations to the fraud perjury which
practced to fearful extent during last war
when copies OF the inteogaores administered to the
masters and merchant vessels by the English authorities
translated into foreign languages and circulated
foreign ports in order that those whom they
might be duly prepared to swear to whatever might be
required for the interest of their employer
If Russian produce is wanted in this country as it
certainly is, we may be sure that will be
most desirable that its transit should be
unnecessary mpediments 1t is of course, needless to
add that where the ships of the enemy employed in
the transport the proceedings Of naval commanders
will be governed by the ordinary laws of war
1t will be observed that contraband Of war; is
cuded from the concession made in favor Of neutral
cargoes in general We clearly entitled to prevent
to the utmost extent of power the transmission to
hostile country of which may be used against
ourselves; but the import of the term employed in
the declaration, though familiar to the readers
of works international law has been so frequently
and extensively relaxed by treaties that some
doubt may exist as to the meaning which will,
only ammunition, artillery and the whole m1teria Of an
army, but also naval stores, timber cordage and
other similar articles. The treaties to which we have
just referred have generally confined its meaning the
former class Of commodities, but not aware that
prize courts have recognized this limitation In
the same category with contraband of included
the dispatches of the enemy the conveyance of which
a manifest breach Of neutrality
Her Majesty also announces that 9 she must maintain
the right OF belligerent to prevent neurals from
breaking any effective blockade which may be established
with an adequate force against the enemys FORTS har
bors, coasts 1t must, unfortunately, always re-
main question whether blockade is defective" and
whether force is "adequate' but the rule of inter
national law could not have been expressed in any
other terms, and 1t would have been impossible to
concede any relaxation in matter of such vital impor
lance The country has done its best to send fleets
adequate for blackade which it may be expedient
undertake. and the humanity and Judgment OF naval
commanders must be safeguard against any unne-
cessary harsh exercise of the power with which law and
force unite clothe them. Our own recent history
affords but too many instances Of the abuse of by
bcckading squadrons and the eloquent plea urged by
DR. Arnold in his Lectures at Oxford behalf Of
offending citizens confined within the walls of fortified
towns, in order that their numbers may increase the
pressure the Of the beleaguered force will
be seconded By all who desire that war, mercy
should not be wholly forgotten. We scarcely venture
to hope that win arise in which the validity of
blockade will become matter Of discussion with neutral
CONCESSIONS
voluntarily made may dispose foreign States to yield
cheerfully to the of those rights which
still find it necessary to maintain
The closing paragraph of the Declaration fully utfes
the augury which we drew from Lord Clarendons recent
speech, in which he expressed his hope that England
would be able in the conduct of the impending struggle
to set good example to other nations 1t not
present circumstances her Majesys intention to issue
letters of marque for the commissioning of prvateers
and the operations Of the will consequently be
strcted to the regular forces of the country While the
agents of the Car have been attempting in defiance Of
American m he rts Of tha
United States hail with satisfaction another proof
Of the advance Of civilization the determination Of the
federal government to tolerate such Ubiquitous
actions the part Of its citizens 1t may be vain and
utopian to expect that Congress of nations win ever
chapters which still wanting in the code of in
ternational law; but each country may record its
piracy'-not indeed cognizabe such by legal
tribunals, but equally uni ustfable in principle and
almost equally 6arbarous in practice This irregular
warfare besides demoralizing and bruazing those who
engage in it, is after ALL have formerly observed,
very questionable in point of policy for who serve
one party, from no feeling Of loyalty duty, but simply
because they paid for IT. viii of the
other, if larger gains held out to them induce
ment. Instances of collision with the enemy and Of
protection fraudulenty given to hostile commerce
not rare in the annals of pvateerng but the wise de-
termination at which our government has arrived hap
PLY insures against every risk Of this nature 1t
mains to be seen whether the enemy will follow
ample. We not that any special report on
this subject has been made by the peace deputaon who
recently visited ST. Petersburg but possibly they had
time attention to for matters of purely prac
tlCaI nature Az oil events, winnie they nave been
learning to fatter the amiabit kind Of
the author OF the England has frankly recognized
the duties incumbent civilized and Christian States
French Declaration In Regard to Rights OF
Neutrnls.
The following report to the Emperor the Minister
Of Foreign Affairs appears in the Paris Moni.eur:-
SIRE-Ata period when maritime relations and com
mercal interests occupy large place in the existence
of nations is the duty Of any Power Obliged to WACO
war to take the necessary for alternating
much possible its effects by leaving the Of
neutral nations facility compatible with the state
Of hostility to which they endcavor to remain strangers
But 1t is not sufficient that the belgerent parties be fully
determined to respect constantly the rights neutas
they bound also to cndeavor calm down advance
the disquietudss which commercial are always
prompt to conceive by not allowing any doubt to sub
sist as TO the principles which they intend applying
set Of regulations the duty Of Deutras might appear
sort Of infringement the sovereignty of such nations
desire to preserve neutrality WHILE the contrary,
spontaneous declaration Of the principles to which
hegerent marty promises 10 CONFORM the