The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-07
What the Three-MileLimit
Really Means. IL.
.g~1Ss
A Nations Jurisdiction Over
Adjacent Waters.
An Old Sea Captain Tells of Past
Trips Across the Ocean.

lAE NEWS idot tNcuAiB Hilh'Sa 7"
patch from Key West stating that the
steamer Three Friends, supposed to DO
carrying Cuban tiibusiering expeditiop'
had passed that place, pursued by
Spanish warship, which was cutting the
three-miie limit very close in its ohorts
to-head off the Three Friends. The most
significant part Of this dispatch Is that
which states that the Spanish vessel was
cutting the three-mile limit, which, IL
actually done, would, under the law OF
nations, be an offense that would call for
something more than mere perfunctory
protest from this country. From the
earliest times maritime nations have
claimed jurisdiction over the waters ad-
jacent TO their shores. The distance TO
which this jurisdiction should extend
was, however, the subject OF much
contention and dispute in the past. AT
the present time the law OF nations gives
to the government jurisdiction over so
much of the waters surrounding the
country as can be commanded from the
shore; or, TO put IL in another way, 10
the distance OF the presumed range OF
cannon.
more defihits, this range is taken as one
marine league or three geographical
miles This is the distance to be found
IN treaties referring to the observance OF
the rights and obligations OF neutrality
and to the exclusive rights OF fishing. IL
is a fact, however, that the General
Statutes of the United States do not de-
fine in general terms the extent OF the
jurisdiction claimed by this government
over adjacent waters, but in some direc-
tions a jurisdiction is claimed decidedly
more extensive than is contemplated or
allowed by the law OF nations. Take for
instance chapter 2760 OF the Revised
Statutes, which relates TO officers in the
revenue service and their powers and
duties. In that chapter ii is provided
that revenue officers "shall go on board
all vessels which arrive within the United
States, or within four leagues OF the coast
thereof, IL bound for the United States,
and search and examine the same"
In these days when steam and cleo
tricity are the great agencies for overcom-
ing time in the matter OF transportation,
one is-liablo to forget that in their day
American clipper ships made records
which even with all our present facilities
for rapid ocean transit seem remarkable.
This fact was strongly impressed upon
Leard last evening between retired sea
captain and gentleman who had crossed
the Atlantic on what Is now known as Hu
ocean greyhound and was loud in his
praise OF what he considered the remark
able performance OF the steamer. The
ex-sea captain wasn't much impressed by
the story that his friend had crossed the
Atlantic in six days, go many hours and
so many minutes. The friend said in
bantoring way, snow I'll wager, cap
tain, that you never crossed the ocean
in one of those clippers you are SO fond
OF talking about in less tnan three
weeks.
instant and before he had finished his
yarn the banteriug friend had learned
some things he never knew before.
'sNevcr crossed the Atlantic In less
than three weeks, eh!' repeated the
captain with snort, "well, young
man." hs continued, "pll TELL you what
] did DOL went from Boston to Liverpool
in less than two weeks, in fact in less
than 13 days to be exact, and 1 went all
the way in a sailing ship, not one OF
your new tangled steamers, either. Did
you ever hear of the ship Bains, the James
Bains, was the full name? No. i sup
rose not. You young fellows don't
know and don't care anything nowadays
about the ola record breakers OF the
past. But ] was in the Bains myself.
That was when i was bsfore the mast.
She was built in East Boston and she
sailed from Boston in 1895 for Liverpool.
There's nothing remarkable about that,
tut there was something remarkab BILE
when we got to the other side, for we
had crossed the ocean in a little moro
than II days. That was record break
ing performance, and Ii hasn't been
equalled since TO my knowledge. Ii was
the quickest voyage from shore to shore
ever made by sailing vessel"
"And / know OF some other fast voy-
ages. There was Captain Samuels, who
commanded the clipper Dreadnaught,
who made the run from Sanuy Hook to
Rock light in 1859 In IL days and
hours. Then there was Captain Mckay
away back in 1853, who took the Sover-
eign of the Seas from New York TO Liver
pool in 13 days and 10 hours That rec
ord was cut down by the Thornton i'm
1867 to l3 days and nine hours. In 1860
the old Dreadnaught covered tho distance
between New York and Queenstown.
over 200 miles, in nine days and seven
teen hours"
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