Evening journal., 1897-03-22
THE BLOCKADE OF CRETE
Secretary Sherman Notified OF
the Powers Action.
HE MAY DECIDE TO IGNORE IT.

Hiil Not Permit Rights OF American Ship
ping to re Interfered wlsh-Apparent
Purpose os the European Nations Is to
stnrve the Cretnns Iuto submisssion.
WASHINGTON, March sa.-The United
tates has been notified that "a specific
blockade OF Crete has commenced. The
notification was made IN concert by the
representatives of the six powers signatory
70 the Berlin treaty - Great Britain,
Franco, Italy, Germany, Austria-Hungary
ana Russia. The language of the several
notes is almost identical Thoy formally
announce the blockade Of Cretan ports
against ships flying the Greek flag. II is
further declared that merchant vessels OF
neutral powers. Including those OF the
United States viii not be disturbed In
their usual commercial ventures provided
their cargoe5 contain no merchandise foi
use 10y the Greeks or insurgents Of the is
land. such vessels however. will be sub
iec5 co inspection by Tho blockadlng war
ships Of the concerted squadrons.
There Is little Likelihood that the Unit
cd States will give its assent to the block
ade or IN fact, even notice the communi
catiuns of tho several powers. Secretary
sherman stites that the matter because
had not boon considered ia any way, and
from the way he spoke it is evident that
it Is not likely that it will receive consid
Grafton eyccpt IN the event of merchant
vessel of the United States attempting 10
enter khana or any other ot the Crctan
ports and be prevented by tho hlockading
ships The master of the American vessel
would In this case call tho matter to the
attention Of the state department and
President Mckinley and his advisers would
hen decide upon "a policy to pursue. In
Wow of the fact, however, that only three
vessels passed through the Suez canal in
the year 1875 flying the American flag
two of which were private yachts and the
third warship, and only one also a war
ship, in 1895 it Is apparent that there Is
little possibility of tie United States he-
coming involved in the Cretan trouble by
any member of its merchant marine at.
tempting 20 pass through tho blockade.
Might Refuse to Recognize Blockade.
While Secretary sherman declined to
discuss the matter in any way other Off
cials of the state department take the
ground that 81 the occasion arose the Unit.
ed States would be likely TO refuse to rec
ognize the blockade 2 here are no direct
precedents for refusing to give such reoog-
]
national lawyers who contend that "paci-
/ hc blockades' for the purpose OF coercion
arc in violation OF the laws OF nations
Wharton in referring to the subject, says
"1he weight Of authority Is that while
as war measure a blockade, when eff
fectual, will be internationally resre,ted,
| this will not be tho case with a blockade
! instituted as part of a system OF pacific
pressure. The Institute do Drolt Interna-
tional at its meeting nc The Hague in
1874, resolved by largo ma .o-ity that pa
cihc blockados wcre not legitimate meth
DDS of international pressure. 70
Freeman Snow described pacific block
nde as a growing means OF coercion short
Of war. IL has been instituted sometimes
by the joint action Of several powers, some
times by single power, In some cases
against all vessels, In others against YES
sells Of the nations concerned only and in
still other cases against the property and
cargoes only Of the offending nation. The
first specific instance OF pacific blockade,
he says, occurred in 1897, when the coasts
Of Greece were blockaded by the English,
French and Russian squadrons. Greece
being then nomnally subject to Turkey,
and the powers We're professedly at peace
with Turkey. The Tagus was blocked by
France in 1881, New Grenada by England
in 1866, Mexico by France in 1898, La
Plata by France from 1888 to 1910, and
fyom 1916 to 1s4s by France and England; F;
the Greek Torts by England in 1880 the
coast of Formosa 10y France I'm 1884 the
coast of Greece by Great Britain, Germany,
Austria, Italy and Russia in 1886, and the
coast of Siam by France in 1898
Walker holds that If tho trade of nou-
trails be effected by blockade those neu-
trails may well protest against interior
enoe with traffic as not fully and completely
iustihablo For them such protests must
be a matter of policy Pacific blockade
may be and doubtless IS the less Of two
evils To refuse to recognize NAV be Co
force the offended state to leralize It's acts
by instituting a regular blockade as %
measure Of war.
Rnssia Apparently Encouraging War.
LONDON, March 2e.-The Athens CORE