New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-04-28
Laws of Neutrality.
A Washington special to the Cincinnati
GnzeLEe saws:

A Washington special to the Cincinnati
GGzctte says.
Now thas war is declared. our govern
ment may be speedily called upon to defend
It's POSITION with respect to neutrality be-
tween the beligerents. We are ct peace
with Turkey, and can not do anything IN
cOntraventiOn of the laws Of war TO show
our friendliness to Russia. Persons in au-
thority here who have been examining the
new aspects of the international question IN
this regard. and our obligation under the
treaty Of Washington, say that under that
treaty and the principles Of neutrality ads
vOcaIed by the United States at Geneva
and maintained there, our government can
not permit the Russian feet to remain in
the barber of the United States but q Tea-
sonsble time after the declaration OF hostll-
tiles. To allow them to do this would be
violation of that doctrine of strict and e.
we're neutrality which the United States
urged against Great Britain, the fruits of
which appeared in the Geneva award.
The rules of neutrality are, that in time
of war the belligerents' vessels may harb0r
| in the port of q neutral under stress OF
weather as long as humanity requires. The
neutral can receive the vessel OF belliger-
eDt in its ports only upon the following con-
| ditioDs:
First-Provided that the armament of
| ship and its supplies have not betn in
| creased in the neutral territory.
Second-Provided that the ship shall
\ leave as soon as possible, and does not carry
IN general more than one-half or One-third
| of u complete cargo of coal, ii steamer.
Third-That it does not return to the port
| of the neutral until it has touched at the
port of a belligeTent.
| Under these general rules and principles
the Russian feet will find it necessary to
soon leave the nsrbOrs of the United States,
provided it retains its armament. AnT OF
the vessels of the feet, however, can re-
main as long as they please, pending the
war, if they land their guns on the pier
with the intent to disarm. These rules do
not apply to commercial vessels or to a
war vessel which has removed its arma
ment.
The impression prevails in some quarters
that the United States will be called rpon
to prevent the shipment of arms by private
enterprises to either of the belligereuts.
This Is a misapprehension of the principles
of international law as interpreted by the
| United States. distinction is made be-
tween private commercial ventures, such az
sending arms and other contraband of war,
and the fitting out OF war vessels. This SUB
iect was discussed in the executive session
OF he Senate when the Washington treaty
was pending. The point was made thai the
second rule of the Washington treaty was
so worded as to extend to contrAband OF
war.
| The Senate then suggested to the Pre 81
dent that it should be made clear that this
rule did not apply to commercial ventures
as they are technically called, or to the en-
terprise of private capitalists. In accord
anee with this suggestion from the Senate
in the discussions at Geneva it was agreed
on both sides that it was perfectly right fol
neutrals to allow the expectation of contra
band of war by private parties at their OWL
risks, ana as commercial ventures purely
in Standardization from the fitting out O.
war vessels. 1t is believed that this is the
position which the United States will as
sumo in regard TO these matters.