New-York tribune., 1878-05-01
PRITlTEERS IND CRUISERS.

To say tie least, it is rash TO assume that
because Russia has sent out a ship-lOad OF
men and stores to the coast of Maine, she
meditates fitting out a fleet of prlvatecrs i'll
the ports Of the United States. Privatccring
has long been under the ban Of public disap-
proval among all civilized nations and at
present it may be called an abuse winch
we have inherited from a more barbaTOus age,
and tolerate only on account Of the practical
difficult es of getting rid of it. This country
has taken a leading part, ever since 1t became
a nation, in urging the suppression Of the
practice; and il is certain that our people
would regard with high disfavor the use Of
our ports for the fitting out Of privateers by
one o. the very powers which at the Congress
of Paris i'll 1856 agreed that the right OF
privatecring should be surrendered.
But letween private merchant ship carry
ing letters of marQue and merchant ship
temporarily fitted out as regular vessel OF
war there is an essential difference. The one
forms for the time being part of the estab-
lished naval forces of the power which it
serves; it is commanded by duly commissioned
officers, responsible to their superiOrs, and 1t
fights according to the recognized laws OF
war. The other is the venture Of private
persons, undertaken for private gain, and
operating only against the defenceless. 1t
does not appear that the Russians purpose
sending out any vessels Of this sort. Their plan
seems 10 be to imprOvise cruisers by chartenng
or buying fast merchant steamers and placing
them in charge of regular naval officers, just
as we did during the war of the rebellion !;
and If they find any vessels suitable for the
purpose in the ports OF the United States, or
Germany, or any other country, there is moth
ing in the law of nations to prevent their ac-
auiring possession Of them and putting in
them all the arms and supplies that may be
needed, so long as war has not been declared.
There are, undoubtedly, many steamships to
be had in the German ports, and few in
New-York, which would serve admirably for
a certain kind Of operations. The Cimbria
and SOM of her sister ships, as well as the
best vess 5 of he North German LlOyds
Line, are staunch and swift, and a number of
them are unemployed. There are several
large coasters of our own which possess the
requisite speed and power.
In the days Of uhed cannon, however, and
heavy armaments, merchant ship cannot be
made available for naval engagements, and if
Russia ITS out such cruisers as we have de-
scribed they can only be intended to prey on
British commerce. Undoubtedly they could do
immense injury in this way and the whole
British feet, supposng 1t could be spared from
home waters, would not suffice to protect II
maritime traffic which veXes every sea and
reaches to every Drt of the known world. But
the abandonment Of privateCring, which is
private war, ought logically to be followed
by the abandonment of war upon commerce,
which il war on private persons This Is
the enlie htened and humane principle which
our GOve-uncn c'deayOred TO incorporate III
the code G. international law, when 1t pro-
posed to amend the abolition Of privateeTing
by adding rule that private property of a
beliger 1t, except contraband of war; should
be exempt from seizure on the highsseas.
Cruisers which raid upon merchant ships are
no better than troops which needlessly devas-
tate the lond over which they match, and pill
lace anil jurn the cities that lie in their
path. ~ .ime cannot be far distant when
civilized nations will learn to fight under the