The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-06

Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
upon Current TopiOs-compiIed Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
THE SHIPMENT OF ARMS TO FRANCE.
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THE SHIPMENT OF ARMS TO FRANCE.
From the NJ Y. TFibune
Within the last thirty days, or since the
establishment of the Provisional Government
in Paris, the French military authorities have
purchased in this country, and shipped from
this port, large numbers of breech-loading
rifles and vast supplies of ammunition, car
tridges, etc. The first shipment (5000 rihes)
was by the French steamer Pereire, on the
Sd of September, the day after the surrender
of Louis Napoleon at Sedan. The next ship
ment was on the 20th, by the French steam
ship Lafayette, which carried $4,000 breech-
leaders of the so-called Egyptian pattern.
The third shipment was on the Sd instant
(AIonday last), by the French steamship
Vile de Paris, which had a cargo of rifles
numbering nearly 40, 900, besides an immense
volume of cartridges. We understand that
the French steamship st. Laurent, which
leaves this port on Saturday of next week,
will take out a still larger supply than either
of the three preceding steamers. The orders
from France to our principal rifle nanufac-
turers are unlimited, and the French agents
here are under directions TO secure the ship
ment of military supplies with all possible
haste. The steamships of the French line
four in number-leave this port fortnightly;
and it will be observed from the preceding
statements that all of them are actively en-
gagged in the transport of arms. The first
small shipment of rifles was, we believe, on
private or speculative account but all the
subsequent shipments have been by direct
order of the Provisional Government of
France
There have been some complaints. from
German sources against our Government for
permitting the export of these great supplies
of arms and cartridges to France at the pre-
sent crisis. It is said that they are to be used
against the German armies, that they will be
the means of enabling France to prolong the
war indefinitely, and that thus we are morally
responsible for the destruction of life and all
the horrible results that may ensue. Similar
complaints were formally made to England,
under similar circumstances, by the Prussian
Government, four weeks ago. 1t having
been then announced that France was about
to receive 40, 900 Chassepots from English
manufacturers, Count Bismarck sent des-
patch to the English Government, saying
that while England professed to be neutral
in the war, she was virtually transformed
into a French arsenal and storehouse
and demanding that the export of weapons
and ammunition from England should be pro-
hibited. The Prussian Minister fortified his
demand by referring to the action of the Prus-
sian Government during the Crimean war;
when England and France were engaged with
Russia No less than three authoritative
orders were then issued from Berlin on the
subject. The first formally prohibited the
arms being sent from Belgium to Russia
through Prussian territory. The second
order prohibited the transport of munitions
of war of every kind, especially of projectiles,
percussion caps, and gun-fints as also lead,
sulphur, and saltpetre." The third order re-
peated the terms of the second, and added to
the prohibitory list weapons and gunpowder 1"
Count Bismarck holds that the British Gov
ernment ought at this time to follow the policy
which Prussia adopted towards England in
1854. But, in reply to his demand, the Eng
lish Government alleged that it had no power
to take such a step without the express au-
thorization of Parliament Thus the case
now stands between these parties; and France
has for a month past been receiving large
supplies of arms and ammunition from Eng
lish manufacturers 1t is altogether impro-
bable that the English Parliament would pass
any law making it illegal for British manufac-
turers to export arms 1t was after the
present war had broken out that Parliament
adopted the new English neutrality law,
which was incorporated in the Queens procla-
nation of neutrality, issued on the 9th of last
August. This law closely resembles, in seve-
raj of its leading features, the American neu-
trality law (the act of 1879, which President
Grant incorporated in his neutrality procla-
nation issued on the 22d of August last; but
though the terms of the English act are even
more stringent than those of the American
act in prohibiting enlistments for foreign
service, and the furnishing of ships or other
''active contraband" for belligerent govern
ments, it resembles our own in so far as it
refrains from prohibiting the export of guns,
ammunition, or other passive contraband
Having thus at SO recent date, and under
the same circumstances as now exist, au-
thorized the manufacture and sale of arms to
ally power, whether at peace or war; with
which England is on friendly terms, the
English Parliament would undoubtedly sup
port the Government in resisting Bismarck s
demand for prohibitory action.
President Grant, in his proclamation of
neutrality between the belligerents in the
present war, took especial pains to defee the
limits of the American doctrine of neutrality.
He quoted the restrictive provisions of the
law of 1913; but in what we may call the pre-
amble of his proclamation he explicitly SAYS
that the laws of the United States ''do not
interfere with the open manufacture or sale
of arms or munitions of war" and near the
close of the proclamation he says that sal
persons may lawfully, and without restriction
on account of the existing state of war,
manufacture and sell within the United States
arms and munitions of war; and other articles
ordinarily known as contraband of war. This
language of the President is inaccordance with
the law and with the policy of the United
States during the last half-century. When
the proclamation was issued our authorities
had no idea which one of the belligerents
or whether either of them, would during the
progress of hostilities, derive any Advantage
from the established doctrine which the
President sets forth. If Prussia had been
unfortunate in the field, and had needed ia
purchase arms, there would have been nc
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