The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-12-03

Sherman marches where he p.esses IN the Southern
States. Now we find him, after the capture Of At
lanta, suddenly and unexpectedly moving towards
the East. From Atlanta run two lines of railroad-
one, southeasterly TO Savannah, by way OF Macon
the other, northeasterly, 10y Augusta, 10 Charleston.
There is no organized force OF the rebels, of any con-
sequence, 10 oppose his march. Hood, under the i'm
preston that Sherman was going 10 winter IN Allan
ia, moved towards the Tennessee, for the purpose Of
cutting of his communications, Sherman marches in
pursuit, and drives him as far westward as possible.
Leaving Thomas to look after him, he then throws
up his communicatious, and marches eastwardly.
His removal Of the people from Atlanta, and his
strengthening Of the place were only feluts. de took
these steps simrly for the purpose Of leading the re-
bels 10 believe that he vas going 10 stay where ne
was. How well he succeeded is proved by Hoods
silly movement upon his communications. BY this
manpuvre, Georgia and South CarolIna are al
his mercy. He Is on his march now East, while hooa
is far in the West, under the delusIon that he Is as
sailing his antagonists communications. There can
not De al this time very strong garrisous either Mt
Charleston or Savannah nor eau JEFF. avis, WhIle
Grant holds on ct Richmond. spare them any rein
forcements. The next news from Sherman will prooao-
" reach US by steamer from Hilton Head.
The INTERN lTIoNAL QUEsTIoN.-The capture Of the
Confederate steamer FY0riiI, in the port OF bahla'
on the coast Of Brazil, has raised a question OF inter-
national law, in regard 10 which the most toggy no.
tions seem to prevail. So far Us we are able TO gather
from the meagre statements Of the Geographic DIS
patches, it appears that the Florida entered the port
above mentioned on the night Of October 9Th, while
the Culte1 states Stc1HitF - UttHStt ~ iJH6 'HN'N
The next morning Capt. Collins, OF the IbachaSeit,
attacked aud captured the pirate.
The press, in commenting upon these facts, seem
10 have taken it for granted that the attack upon the
FI,riiu, under the circumstances, was a clear viola
ton Of international law. This proposition, however,
is by no means self-eviient On the contrary. 1t adj
mits Of serious argument and. SO far as the English
doctrine on the subject is concerned, 1t IS not difficult
to justify it by precedent.
During the war Of 1912, the ESSEX, under Com
modOre Porter, was attacked and captured IN q
neutral port by two British cruisers, and the act was
justified by the British government upon the ground
Of military necessity. 1t was claimed that the EsSer
had for n long time been doing great damage to Bri-
fish commerce, and that she ought not to be permitted
TO escape capture by seeking refuge in a neutral port.
The same doctrine was held by Great Britain in the
famous case of the Caroline, burned in the harbor Of
Buffalo, by an expedition fitted out in Canada. Lord
Ashburion, in his correspondence with Webster on
the subject, boldly took this ground, and our Govern
ment virtually, ii not III express terms, admitted its
correctness. The general rule undoubtedly is, that
foreign ships have no right, by the law of nations, to
fight within the jurisdiction OF 4 neutral government.
But all general rules have their exceptions. Some Of
the ablest lawyers IN England expressed the opinion
that in the case of the ESSEX, above referred TO, and
in that of the COrOfine, a departure from the general
rule WAS warranted by special circumstances. Web
ster himself seems TO have conceded this, in reference
To the Caroline ; and If any such exception on the
ground OF necessity can be justified, we are inclined
TO the opinion that the case of the Florida may be
placed under that exception rather than under the
general rule.