The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-08
Belgian Omcial Insult to an American Shin.
lnrresnnndancn of the Landau shi o,.n.I .,,uaIa


Correspondence Of the London shipping Gazette
ANTWERP July ., 1888
on the Sd July the American ship Sheridan. Captain
s. Clark lying at ntxerp having cleared was ready
for as~ soon the emigrant pas seupers should
undergo the customary examination from the local
authorities and from the Captain. This duty on the
part Of the government conducted by the deputy Of
the Commissaire Maritime, or water bain. although
the latter fuDctionary was board In an unofficial
dress TIE scrutiny Of Captain Clark, for the purpose
of rejecting such emgrants he Is forbidden by law
from al ding in the United States occupied more time
than suited the wishes OF the Commissaire who ased
much insulting and unjustihabie language concerning il
After this business was concluded the party
cabin where the Captains wife, and another lsdy were
seated The ComDissaiTe IN y manner which excited the
and indignation Of those present. lnded
be told who those females were. Captain Clark
eped that hts wife, the other the
wife Of . passenger. At this moment the isdys
husband entered the cabin, and his passport de-
maaded he said that it in his state but that he
would produce II In moment Here the captain and the
american Consul remarked that they knew the gentle
to be citizen OF the United Safes holding
ponsible appointment Upon this the Deputy
Commissare remarks that this assurance was quite su
Gent and that the passport need not be produced No
more said about the matter but, on leaving
the ship, the Commisfaire Maritime commanded
he gentleman and lady referred TO- and
all the other cabin passengers had personally appear
ed at his cilce and presented their passports to him
there. This command would necessarily delay the sail
ing OF The ship twenty four hours, the Commss aries
office being closed for the day The next morning. after
The requirement respecting the passports had been com
piled with, the Commissaire entered complaint against
the Captain OF the Sheridan and the Procur du Ro
District Attorney, issued process requiring Captain
Clark TO appear before the courts the 9th inst and
answer to charge OF having violated an old law re-
curing captains to make declaration concerning hs
cabin passengers at the Office Of the Waterbai The
writer Of tIis article Is assured by many respectable
gentlemen In Antwerp, whose business compels them
10 be acquainted with the Maritime laws OF ,hs port. that
they heard OF this regulation and that certaaly IL
has not been enforced for years II the
Sd instant has any Car tain been required 70 comply
with it, The detention OF large ship, with all her pas
sengers aud valuable cargo great expense and in
convenience, arises merely from deter nnaon the
nf nniea IF fha .,,r
the Captain Of the Sheridan. Frequent complaints
are made that the Commissaire Maritime, under
protection of his official position, treats those
who compelled 10 do business with him In a
rough and insulting manner His conduct has become
offensive that justice requires rebuke which will here
after protect those with whom he has business from
rage In the instance above narrated in which obso
lee and forgotten regulation is enforced against single
ship and again no others great injury is done to
unonendng parties We believe representation OF the
case has been made TO the Belgian authorities and that
the gentleman who treated mpernently respect
ing his passport does Intend TO let the after drop
The technical legality Of the pursued towards him
renders the affair no less unjust the require
ment has never been made in other cases.