The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-05-05
Free Ships Make Free Goods.


War between .Russia and Turkey; the pres
euce of squadron Of Russian war ships in
American waters the fact that American
manufacturers are making large supplies of
arms aud are loading them on ship.b0ard for
Turkey; and the recent arrival OF a corps Of
Turkish officers in this country for purposes
Of inquiry and observaton-haye set some Of
our people to Specializing upon what may
happen as results of these peculiar events
There is also some talk in Washington about
the necessity Of proclamation Of neu.
traliy Neutral duties exist without the
proclamation; that instrument buing only for
notice and warning. The public duty Of the
Government, as a neutral, is to see that
neither belligerent shall have any adyan tage
over the other under cover Of the American
flag; that neither shall enlist soldiers or
sailors for war purposes within our jurisdic'
ton, and that neither set aioot or afloat any
armed force, expedition or war ship (which
is kind of army aioat,) from within our
boundaries, waters or harbors. IL is no viO-
lation Of neutrality for merchant TO sell
goods or arms to either belligerent, our
markets being open TO both. Such goods,
aud the transportation Of them by ships on
the open seas, are, however, subject to the
risks Of state Of war, under the internation'
al laws now applied to commerce on the
ocean highways The present condition of
these laws is greatly amelioratedas compared
with the doctrines which prevailed at times
not very remote Within this century 1.-THE
right of search, of neutral vessels, in time
Of war, has been claimed by nearly every
maritime nation except the United States;
but to-day the claim is nearly, if not quite
abandoned by every one of them. Formerly
it was the practice to seize all goods, whether
belonging to friend neutral or foe, when
found on board captured merchant ship fly
ing the flag OF an enemy in time of war; twas
also the practice to seize goods Of any sub
ieCt Of the hostile nation even when found on
board of ship flying the flag of neutral
Government. The doctrines which justified
these practices were accepted in former days
by all nations except the United States, and
also excepting the Netherlands in some re.
spects. Our Government, however, almost
from the beginning, adopted the doctrines
that with the exception OF goods "contraband
OF war, the neutral flag on merchant yes.
sci covers and protects all goods on board,
even those of the subject of belligerent; and
that the goods OF neutral are not subject TO
capture, even though they be found on board
OF a merchantmen carrying an enemy's flag.
After much discussion, consideration and re.
sstauce, these doctrines have been incorpo.
rated Into tue public law of the sea by express
written agreement between nearly all mari
time nations except, strange TO say, the Uni
ted States, aud possibly the Netherlands.
They form the basis of the celebrated Decla.
laration Of Paris of April 10, 1856, the first
three points Of which are formulated us
follows:
Priyateering is and remains abolished
The neutral flag covers enemy goods, except
contraband OF war. Neutral goods, with the
exception OF contrabaud Of war, are not liable
10 capture under enemy's flag.
These points were agreed to and signed by
the Plenipotcnttnries Of Great Britain, Aus.
tria, France, Prussia, Russia, SARDINIA and
Turkey, on the date above mentioned, aud
are now binding on these nations as between
themselves The United States was invited
to join in the Declaration, and was ready to
agree if the exemption of merchant vessels
from capture by prysteers should be still
further extended, so as to exempt them from
capture by the public armed naval vessels of
the belligerents. This ground was taken be.
cause our regular navy was a small one, and
our merchant marine very large, and therefore
the adjustment of capture by pryateers alone
would leave the commerce of the United
States at the mercy OF large naval powers,
unless merchantmen should be exempt from
capture by menot. war as well Us by priya.
teers. This was not agreeable to the Euro.
peau Powers which had large navies, and so
the United States did not JOIN in the Declare.
ton Of Paris, although it was founded on our
own doctrines,
Russia, Turkey, Great Britain, Germany,
Italy, Austria and France are, however,
bound by those stipulatons, and must abstain
from seizing neutral goods from ship under
an enemy's flag, and also from seiaing an en-.
envy goods from ship under neutral flag
unless the goods are ''contraband of war;
such as arms, ammunition aud military sun.
plies. Hence, whilst tho Providence aud
Hartford weapon factories may sell their arms
and ammunition TO the agents Of either bellig.
erent, the weapons and ammunition are sub.
Ject TO capture by the opposing power when.
ever found on the "high seas, because they
are ''contraband Of war and therefore do
not fall under the protection of the Decara.
ton of Paris If the ships Of the Russian
squadron can catch the vessels carving out
the arms and ammunition bought BY the Turk.
ish Government, they have the right to seize
that much OF the cargo, but they have no
right to make the waters OF an American har.
Dor rendezvous or base of operations for
watching and then Immediately following
such vessels. Philadelphia Ledger.