The Irish standard., 1897-03-27
THE BLOCKADE ] I. D
49, -t--'-.I "a M iET,sf..5s;,&
unole Sam Notified q tho CLOSING
Of Crstau Portss
PUT INTO EFFECT SUNDAY MORNING.
9fx Great Powers Aot In ConesxtA
Preb.bflity That Our Governs
nsnt May Object to Cer-
tain Reductions. .!ay

Washington, March 22.--The repre4
sentattves In Washington Of the six pow-:
ers signatory to the Berlin treaty, Grsnt
Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Aus-
triarHungary and Russia, have In con-
cert notified this government, of the
blockade of Crete, the respective notes
of Sir Julian Pauncefote, Mt, Patenotrex
Baron de Fava, Baron Won Thielman,.
Mr. Henste Mailer Won Hengervar and
Mr.. de Kotzebue, having been delivered
to Secretary Sherman Sunday. They!
were almost identical and consisted of
. mere formal announcements of block.
ade to Cretan ports against ships under
the Greek flag commencing atF,nin&
o'clock Sunday morning. Merchant ves1
sells Of neutral powers, including those
of the United States and of the treaty
powers, while subject to overhauling
by the bJockading war ships of the con-
certing fleets, are not to be disturbed
in their ordinary commercial occupa-,
tions if they carry no merchandise in-
tended for the use of the Greeks or in-
aurgentx On TIE island.
It is 4 question whether this gov
ernment will give its assent to this
form Of blockade, which involves y
grave departure in international law
and would establish precedent abol-
ishing rights that the United States
might not desire to surrender. There
Is Little OF no likelihood Of an American
vessel attempting to run the Cretam
blockade for the stars and stripes on
merchant vessels In the Mediterranean
is practically unknown All indications
of this is given In the records of the
suez canal, the American flag having
passed that highway only three times IN
1895, ON two private yuchts and one,
man-of-war, while in 1895 not u singlq
vessel showed OUT flag in the canal;
This year, the passage OF the cr'1iser
Detroit, earFy next month, will probably;
be the only occasion for showing the
American coIors in the Red sea. Around
Crete an American ship is rarer than at
Suez. Nevertheless If the United States
should eren tacItly consent to being
kept out of Crete where there is NO
proclaimed condition of war, any nore
than there il in Cuba at the present
6ACu HCSioAy ~ Id 'PHAC~A ~,
those familiar with international prece7
dents may establish an 1rntoward prece1
dent in relation to countries where
American commerce is unmeas,1reably
more important and where American
merchant flags are more numerous ;
Favors the Moslems. {.
Canea, March 22.-Accorting to the
proclamation issued by the foreign adj
,smirals, the blockade of Crete began at
eight o'clock Sunday morning. 1t is APP
parent that the blockade is directed
solely against the Christians in the in,
terror and that the Moslems will suffer-
little Inconvenience from the. action Of
the six great Christian nations of E11-:
rope. It appears that the object of the
blockading squadron is to prevent the
landing OF supplies of food, clothing,
ETC., destined for the starving Chris
tians in the interior, while the Mussul-
mans that have hoclied to the coast
towns are allowed to land whatever
they want.
Conflict Reported. .
Paris, March ga dispatch. from
Belgrade, Servia, to the Eclaire says it
is reported thut a sanguinary conflict
has taken place between the Greeks and
the Turks on tn. Thessalian frontier. !