New-York daily tribune., 1859-06-07

claim IN their behalf; and -urh. aud suoh only. vas
the extent OF the warning on this .ubrcs contained
in the British proclsm,tion Of neutrality.
Nevertheless. this qurstIon of contraband cf war
bss given ri-- in times past and msy sgsin do so.
Ia very sc 'imonious national d-puies Ii mas been
a much contested question wb,t articles pr r'prrly
| come within the list II is the ia'erest sni toe
policy of the btllieercnt nation strongest st sea 10
extend the lief OF contrabSnd articles far as P's
| sihle. and that rot merely or esea principally
with view to cripple tbe resources and curtill
the supplies Of the enemy bat rather with the
object o, afordng rich pckings to her osn cruisers
from among neutfs as well beliigrrent vessels
During tie maritime wsrs of the last two hundred
years or So. Great Bri'sin has occupied the post
iion Of the leading maritime po"er. or course she
has been the great siickler for extending the list
Of conrabond. The neutral nations, on the other
h,pd. of which Hollaud in the earlier part of the
period was the principal, aud the United States in
the nter-.be Baltic Porers generally tao, occu-
pying that positi'n-havc unii"fmly striven t.
reud the !ist as short as possible; whlle France,
u.uslly belligersnt as against Great Bfitain and
greater occasion or neutral supplies, has gcoeraly
leaned to the neutral side Of the controversy
All sgrce thst arms and ammunition of all binds,
articles Of use merely or principally for warike
puI poses come within the list Tine great contest
hiss been 90 the subject Of naval stores, snip tim
Der and provisions. The English Admiralty
Courts have held. that not only such stores
and materials as are exclusively used Tor
shps-ofwsr. but thst all stores AMI mate
rias which might be so used, come Wit 10
II t. list of couirabapJ. The French Courts have
held on the other hand, that Ordinary ship timber
adopted to the building Of merchant vessels ai well
as Of vessels Of war and other naval supplies, the
use of which is common to both sorts ot vessels,
are not necessarily to be deemed contrsbanf. Coal
beng an article which modern ussge made
important in navigation, would thus, accord
ing to the English doctrine, fall into the
prohibited list, though not necessarily 81 accord
iug to the doctriue f"rmrriy bed by the French.
As to provisions, both France and England dd'
roR the war of the French revolution adopted tho
practice Of seiziDg them contraoand, when bound
to hostile port. Tue Eogllsb, however. cid not
confscate the provisions Thu, seized Tcey only
took them into some Eogli.h port, where they were
paid for ut the current rate.
AT this moment upon all questions OF the rights
Of neutr,s, far as interest Is concerned France
and Great Britain have completely chtnsed places.
As he French marine 10 poEerfnl as to be able
to exclude Austrian vessels rom the seas, 1t Is now
the interest of France TO press 10 the fullest extent
the maritime rights of bellIgereuts AZ against neu-
trails Will. Great Dtit,in have no riga to I'M
pla Of the French Government It, rs0ou &C nc th-
more liberal doctrines waicb It formerly supported
1t should avow itself convinced BY British argn-
msnts and convert To British views an the sub
iect Of neutral rights. The British msrchsn 8 aud
sbip.owp.rs on the other bsud, viii low be
brought t. feeling Of all the bardsolPs' in-
c,u,eniences, losses and spprrhensIons attendant
upon the enforcement rs agsldst neutral', ot th''e
belIigcreDt rights for which formerly, as agsia't
US both the BrItish ships wners and the British
GoyeILm,n; were such stichlefs. Ii Is much to
be hoped, ami reasonably to bs expected, that,
under the pressure Of tbs scipllue they may
cone round to more liberal views.
Indeed there does not seem To be any good rea-
son why this doctrine Of contrabtnd OF war should
not BE- abolished altogether Io the struggles OF the
great nations of modern times, the supplies de-
rived by m.als Of neutral commerce cannot have
much effect upon the fua issue. The only case IN
Which the exclusion Of such supplies could be OF
nny considerable practical Importance would be
that of besieged city. aud of that sort are
sbvndsniy provided for by the doctrloe ot block
sde which authorizes the exclusion from block
nded ports pot only of contraband Of var, but
of all vessrs aud all supplies Of wh-tever charac-
ter Already the nations Of Europe have gone so
far as to abolish prlyoteering. Great Bdtain
has shown dsp sitinn Ia listen to Dir.
Marc,'s suggestion, of giving up altogether
the capture Of private property on the ocean, eT-
cept III the single case OF attempt after notice to
enter blockaded port To abolish the doctrine OF
coutTabsnd Of wsr would be another step 10 the
same direction b, this measure the beiligerents
would lose uothiDg Of any real value To them. while
they would be saved from the danger Of very EN-
barrsssng die putes with neutrsls, which have more
tbnp opce been made the Of Increasing tue
number Of their enemies.
A. il is not the interest of the French Emperor
10 make the Briti,h merchants his enemies, be my
be quite ready to forrgo the power with which the
Brltlsh doctrines Ou the subject Of neutral rights
would invest him, and to consent 10 an arrange
menr which will substitute for the ideas and prac
tjces Of two or three centuries ago, system more
~ Al 4. E fr.l. s,.A tt... ra1l