New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-06-05


vided due diligence is exhibited in resuming it,
after the cause of the absence has ceased If
vessel should take advantage Of such an absence
to run in or out of O blockaded port, the at
tempt would be deemed O fraud on the blockade,
and she would be liable to capture as lawful
prize. But this absence must be compulsory
and accidental not arising from diversion OF
the blockading force, even temporarily, for other
objects, nor from any act Of negligence or remiss-
ness. With these notifications and exceptions
the United States have always insisted, with
great strictncss and energy, that blockade, to
be recognized, must be lawfully aud actually
" northumberland that il cannot exist with
out the presence Of power competent to en-
force it.
Ia the debate Of the 18th ult., in tho House
of Lords, we are net aware that any one OF the
speakers uttered sentiment on this subject at
variance with the welestablished American doc
trine. Tho Earl Of Derby erred in Il matter Of
fact when he said that il is not in the power Of
tho United States TO blockade eHectually the
whole of the Southern ports, "f their navy were
three times as powerful as it is." This state
ment arose from mere deficiency of local IN
formation His lordship did not understand with
how moderate o force, properly disposed, an
effective, actual blockade might DO maintained
along the whole coast line Of the insurgcnt
States. He did rot intend TO be understood as
denying il President Lincoln should carry out
his purpose Of 50 posting competent force as
4 o. tla nd NJ N
and from the Southern ports, that this would const
tute "lawfully and actually established blockade
in the view Of her Majosty's proclamation. lie
only denied the ability Of President Lincoln to
post such O force-sO that it was not lack OF
legal knowledge, but Of knowledge geographical
and statistical, that led his Lordship to make
this unstatesmsDlike assertion. But even a Brit
ish Lord may fail TO be well informed as to the
details Of a United States COast Survey without
being chargeablo with hostile sentiments to the
Government of the United States, or with de-
string 10 insligate the more adventurous OF his
countrymen TO attempt to run President Lincolns
blockade There is no need, we apPrehend, OF
any new understanding between her Majestys
Government and the Government OF the United
States, TO the effect "tbat mere paper block
"ade, or blockade extending over space to
(which it Is physically impossible that an effect
"ual blockade will be applied" cannot be recog-
nizcd IA a valid blockade. This is tho perfectly
Wei established understanding Of the United
States. 1t is tie very doctrine on which they
layo always insisted. 1t is a part, indeed, OF
the moro elementary Of the elementary principles
Of Lave which our young men read IN their legal
primers, that all such mere paper blockadea are
manilosty illegal and void, ard have no sanction
IN tho Law of Nations.
There was a good deal OF significance in the
suggestion OF Lord Kingsdown that the fact OF
block ido had been very much altered BY the
introduction Of steam, as two or three steam
vessels might now be as effective ss twenty sall.
Ins yesscls had formally been. If this had &C.
Cured 80 thr Es5. Of Derby, Il might not have
seemed to him al impossible, or even q difficult
thing for President Lincoln TO accomplish what
he had undertaken in the way Of blockading even
all of the Southern ports. The Earl Of Ellen
borough, too animated that II our blockadiDg
sausdrons could act under steam. it would go
far TO make blockade enectunl-and, under the
combined use Of sails and steam in our screw
vessels, a squadron can DO kept at sea without
coaling much longer, perhaps than his lordshiP
imsgines.
So far. then, a. the question Of blockade is
concerned, We do not perceive that there is any
thing in the debate in the Lords that is in any
degree unfriendly TO the Government of the
United States, or that initiates with the doc
trine, il has always maintained. We do not see
why President Lincoln aud Queen Victoria do
NOT agree 10 al intents in tho doctrine in this
regard Of their several Proclamatons, as it 10
Illustrated by the commentaries OF the House of
Lords and the wel-settled views Of the most
eminent American statesmen.