The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-22
A PACIFIC BLOCKADE.
What the Action of the Powers i'm Re-
gard to Crete Means.

A pacific blockade, such as the powers of
Europe began to enforce against the Island
of Crete yesterday, is one of the curiosities
of modern international procedure 1t is
something anomalous half war and half
peace. says the Springfield Republican. 1t
is imposed upon only the weakest of ma
tions whom strong powers desire TO coerce
without openly declaring war against. and
il is an affront which no powerful nation
would tolerate an instant without an i'm
mediate resort to open hostilities. 1t has
never been tried on a strong nation, and ii
never will be, yet during the present CEN
tury there have been several cases of pa
cifc blockade, and when enforced under
certain conditions it is now recognized
legitimate weapon of pressure by the
strong upon the weak.
The beginning of this practice was in 1897,
when Great Britain, Russia and France
blockaded the coast of Greece, then under
the Turkish dominion, in order to force the
Sultan to accept their mediation in the
Grecian insurrection. then at its height. 1t
was virtually an act of war against Tur-
key. although the three powers had made
no declaration of war. and it resulted in the
naval battle of Navarino between the fleets
of the allies and the Porte. No principles
were established by that incident, for the
blockade proved useless as measure of
coercion without involving war. Later
cases, however, proved more Illuminating
as TO the exact function of the measure, its
limits and scope
France, in 1854 desiring to coerce China
into making certain concessions without
resort to open war, established pacific
blockade of the sand of Formosa. While
the French government announced that its
war ships would not search or capture mer-
chantmen on the high seas il did claim the
right of seizure with reference to any mer-
chantman, whether sailing under the Chi
nese or other flag. that attempted to enter
the blockaded ports. This, of course was
..,sxw
trade, and the British government imme-
diately protested against having British
commerce obstructed when there was no
war. If France persisted in seiZing all yes
sells trying TO trade with the blockaded
ports, Earl Granville announced that he
should hold that state of public war eX-
listed between France and China. and would
put in force the regulation of neutrality be-
tween the belligerents. France then claimed
and exercised belligerent rights against the
neutrals. which was a virtual admission Of
the failure OF the pacific blockade to effect
its purpose without public war. This case
showed most clearly that the proDer oh
nations not concerned in the matter at is
sue, constitutes the great obstacle to the
success of such blockading measures.
But when the powers established their
blockade of Greece in 1856. for reasons very
similar TO their action now, the difficulty
with neutrals was carefully avoided by in
structing the admirals to detain only those
ships attempting to run the blockade that
carried the Greek flag. While this block
nation, and in 1887 the institute of interna-
tional law formally approved the pacific
blockade on condition that IL be enforced
against none but vessels of the power that
Ii is designed to coerce. 1t remains 10 be
seen, however. whether pacific blockade
thus narrowly limited in its scope can ava !
anything when severely tested. Such a s q
would arise IL il should be attempted &C.
carry on the commerce of the blockade 81
ports under the flag of outside power
OF independent strength. such as the Unite &
States. for example. In such a case the
blockading powers would be compelled. as
was France i'm the case OF Formosa to
claim beligerent rights. and that would
be equivalent 10 declaration OF war which
the pacific blockade : intended to avoid.
According 10 the news reports the block
ade of Crete is TO be enforced against Greek
vessels alone. which Is I'm harmony with
the precedent OF 1886, Greece being the OBJ
ject of the coerciye measure. But il is also
stated that vessels OF ali other nations de-
string to enter Cretan ports must first OBJ
tain permission from the admlrals That
strikes us a regulation utterly untena-
bile. because IL obstructs neutral commerce.
hindered in entering a Cretan port under
present conditions. il would he the duty
OF our government to protest at once or TO
regard the act as proof of the existence OF
| public war between the great powers and
Greece and to act accordingly. But there
| Is slight probability of any such difficulty
arising. our flag being seldom seen in those
| act with free hand. Yet IL is apparent
| how nebulous a thing this sort Of blockade
| still Is The powers are as likely not
| in the arrogance of their strength TO over
! step all bounds set up hy such precedent
as we already have.