The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-31


concerning British neutrality ihave lef, 1t unan.
severed for time because Tor the m )ment homes
OF peace appeared to oler, and as 1 should have
much preferred to dlscontr ne the controversy alto.
Sether. These hopes hav ing, however / sincere,y
regret. disappeared Tor rne present cansot but re-
ply to your Excellcncy's note. Before entering upon
its contents ask yorr Excellcncy's permission To
saya few words regarding the form and OF igln or
lbIs correspondence.
TIE memorandum or the 3lth August. which bH.s
abe honor TO transmit to your Excellency with a
private letter of the 31sl OF the same MONTH was
originally not intended for publicity. rs NAV easily
re perceived by some OF its pass ages afterwards
sndeed, accoded to your EXceency's wish to deal
with II mally and wall, therefore, not complain
OF your Faceliency's having immediately caused
your reply to Ike punished by the press sin,utane.
Susly with my memorandum, before | MAJ been al
lowed thoe 10 remove ccrelin evident miscaucep-
be regarded as closed
Inc circumstances uIcer which the memorandum
was written were fotows:-
NY verbal and written remonstrances on account
and ea account OF the export Of arus ana aminunl.
MILO 10 France hac remained wthcut any pract-
Your Excellency had, It is true, promised that az
soon as could adduce proofs Of certain vessel
being hired by or Tor the French government in
order TO be used storeship IN lts service, the
case should receive consideration. Notwithstanding
his promise, yonr Exceency deciined acceding 10
my request the leth August 20 proceed against
the vessels hypathia and Norseman mercy OH the
ground that these vessels sailed before me For
tign Enlistment act' had come into operation. The
Two o.her points however, proved by undeniable
extraordinarily, that both vessels hal sailed under
British nag atEer conclusion OF the sale, and that
even up TO the sth ult the transfer OF tie property
TO the French owners nal not been entered on the
ships books while the sale had taken place about
the middle ofahe month OF Juiy-haye been passed
over in silence by your Excellency although the
twolold violation Of tie international Law and of the
Eng ish law had been clearly established. Tue
celiency several cases which had become
known OF contemplated alre ldy accomplished
open and clandestine consignments or arms
and ammunition 10 France, order 10 afford an
opportunity TO Ter Britannia Maes,y's government
Of preventing them or obNlatiDg the further exten
SION OF the mischief met WIN the same fate. Your
Exce,icncy lad assured me. in the replies 10 my
communications on the subject that they should re-
ceive attention, or that they should be taken into
immediate consideration. or that inquiries should TO
maze at once bnt none oIyour ENceileacy s notes
contained positive Statements TO tide effect thai her
Britannia Majesty government regarded the traffic
In contrabdnu OF comnaiIole with their neu-
trality ana that they could not interfere. on Tie
contrary, \ has been repeate lily left 10 10 search
aiier particular cases with Tile means al my dis
posal IN order to BRING them under notice OF her
MaJes,ss government. should nave been glad
deed III your BXteiency Dad by categor :a Official
declaration, placed ne IN position 10 release the
consular AGENTS OF the North German Confederation
Ia Tue united Kingdom from Tie iaborious un-
pleasant task 81 controlling this hlegltimae tradlc
Your EXceilehcy VIII especially please TO recollect
s,at SUD eqneht 70 the ln.iscretion OF Counl Pa
kao, which created great sensation not only N
tierlnany but also III TINS country, your EXceency,
tar from declaring The despatch OF 1900 brte ch-load-
eis Tor the rrench army TO be compatible with
strict neutrality, stated that IL would be impossible
10 lntertie unless | aaduced positive proofs that
nose eonsisnments hal really taken place. At
Of August In reply 10 my note 81 the 18th justified
such conclusion on my part. For in tue frst nole
yopr EXce1ency expressed the Apprehension that.
my communication not containing more precise
statements Of the name OF Ele ship having board
place In the river where The vessel lying, the
Inquiry would be difficult And III the second note
your EAcellency informed me tiiat the Investigations
had remained without result.
After waiting VAN tie PRONUNCIATION OF an
"ofdier IA Council or FOR any Official announce
ment the part OF her Britannic Maj-sty's govern
ment, or for Instructions 10 The police. customs and
{tafk 4nfrIps f.gl
ing meanwhile ascertaned, By means OF reliable
communications, thar the cons gnments announced
by Count Paiikao were being actively carried on. I
embodied my views or the polilcal bear ny OF the
question In the memorandum. IN order 10 show ais
4ncGy ~ the Britisa JaJinet In q Unofficial
FORM, tHe impression necessarily created in Germany
oy the liberation Oh the expert of arms 10 France
nave since then been almost daily III q position to
draw your EXcelielCy's altention TO various H.
0otes on the SUB ect for long either received
no answers at all or only a. were dilatory
although the cases, acknowledged in your Excel
iencys subsequent notes OF the Ism ana 10Th ut.
prove that her Britannia Majesty's government would
Thousand OF rAes 10 France.
now have the honor 10 refer TO your Exccllency's
OF the 15tn ult AMI must bejfa 6y c9styafict.
ING the saDp0Ssti ion. that had expressed desire
On the part OF my government thst me attitude OF
''beneyo lent neutrality" ON the contraly-as a re.
pealed ana careful examination OF my arguments
" tlsr mutual connection VII convince your EA-
celencyI have on the one hand merely given ex-
preston 10 my satisfaction that public opinion had
ranged itseli on our side IN tins war, wantoDly
bined with It The reflection how difficult 1t is to
reconcile the faith IN the practical value Of puolic
by her Britannia Majesty's government. / have by
no means asked, ana ar ess claimed, on our
bounds OF strict neutrality III orr favor, !
and 10 the detrtment Of France; bat | nave /
the rst few weeks, as wen as in consequence or |
your Excenrnees's note Of The 18Th uanto. must !
mantain my asAartio. tlNt IN neutrality o. Ing.
.;.,:, v.iie az / am most wtug 10 ADMIT intended
form OF a neutrality which Il beneEo,cut ana par. |
wished return RON lax neutfai., Whereby oas
party Is benefited, 10 strict and really impartial
neutrality For am unable TO admit that Il Is com.
pauole with srlet peQttaIy that French agents
should be permitted to bus up IN tns country under
me eyes anu with the co3nizsnce Of her Britannia
NlJesty's government, many thousands OF breech-
leaders, revoyers ana pistols with the requisite
ammunition, In order to arm Herewith the French |
people aud make The formation OF frcsu army CORPS
possible after the regular armies oi France had been
leieateG ana surrounded Your hNccllency adm g |
.hat the export Of arms ADD ammunition to France
has lately assumed larger proportions than 7
had hitherto appealel credible. have tie honor I
TO remark thal, according 10 my information which /
may be partly tesiel ugon ouA If this should ap- !
pear desirable, The NUM- er Of nreRrus Shipped IRON
Ensiana 70 france sace ms memorandum OF the /
3Oth ut IS treble aAQ tourto4d the number o. 1000
announced ~ Count fal<ao, and that number OF /
ulanuiact0lies, especially Ia birmingham ana Lon !
don, are working gay and night Tor French agents
and Their mcn OF raw. l am in possession Of aI-
the French government ana English contractors
The events OF the var have quite recently delivered
French Miaister OF war, dated the 18th ult, 10 "A
French ofilcer ct the French embassy IN London
and IN which the then expected despatch ~ 5000
IN der rifles IL mentioned, aud reference - made for
The payment TO the FUNDS ut tile disposal or the
French Charge d'Analies for the purchase OF arms
N general III Ike manner authentic proofs lie
before tbaL The export OF IRE rms and amnluni
don TO France has been thoroughly organized 10
soma British ports.
Notwithstanding careful study OF The quoted
Report Of tie Neutrality Laws Commissioners
nave not been able 10 Iind the proof IN IT that THIS
commission had come 60 the decision that prunib
ilon OF the export Of arms and AMMUNITION was |
indeed impractcaSe or lmpollttc Besides, the auho-
fifty OF the commission would scarcely have eS- !
70 IN nrn ~ "a NlX "A