Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-25
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Objections to the Detention Of the St.
Andrew.
DUE TO A MISAPPREHENSI0N
Austrian Consul General Looking
After Buena Ventura Case.
DIVISION OF OPINION

DIVISION OF OPINION
The French ambassador. NJ. Cambon has
flied representation with the State Depart
n:ent against the detention at Philadelphia
of the Swedish merchant ship st. Andrew.
laden with :.,3Go tons of coal for use by
the French mail steamship line running be-
tween San Nazare. France. and ST Thomas,
Danish West Indies. Vera cruz. Mexico.
AS result. the State Department has
written a courteous letter to the French
authorities. stating that the detention Of
the ST. Andrew was due to a misappre-
henslon. and that the collector of customs
at Philadelphia has been ordered to release
the ship.
1t was not so much Il protest an eX
p!anation for it was obvious that a mistake
had been made. The ambassador also
stated that the French line would no long
err stop at Havana for coal. but would here
after coal at St. Thomas. With the as
sura nee that the coal was not destined for
spanish uses. the State Department
promptly brought about the release of the
vessel.
The French embassy has taken fur
Their steps in regard to the capture of the
Buena Ventura by the gunboat Nashville,
although the embassy was the first to
r-Ve Geographic notice from the French
consul general at New York that the own
ers of the ship would make the protest
Two of the other legations. the British
and the Austrian. are also Interested in
this case. 1t is understood that the pro-
test will be made up under the direction of
the Austrian consul general at New York,
he has taken cha nj n I'M
here.
The case is further complicated by the
fact that the Spanish ship. with a British
cargo, was carrying between two Ameri-
can ports so that Americans participate
to some extent if loss occurs through tn,
condemnation of the Buena Ventura as IA
prize.
Opinion Is Divided,
At the leading embassies and legations
opinion is somewhat divided as to the
legality of the seizure of the Buena Ven
tura, the Pedro of Bilboa and such other
ships as We're taken prior to noon on Sat
urday. In one high diplomatic quarter II
Is held that the state of war did not exist
at the time OF these captures, SO that they
cannot be considered war prizes
Ii Is also maintained in this diplomatic
quarter that the fixing of Saturday noon
in the ultlmatum Of the United States could
not be effected by any diplomatic action In
the meantime
On the other hand. another leading en-
bassy holds that war now exists and has
existed for several days. 1t Is said in this
quarter that the declaration of war which
the President today recommended 70 Con-
gress, Is purely formal and cannot make
the war more of a reality than it has been
In fact for the last three or four days
The Spanish Decree.
1t Is pointed out in foreign quarters that
the Spanish government has already recog-
ni2ed the existence of war. This is con-
tanned in the notice published IN the Off
cal Gazette at Madrid beginning with the
phrase: "A state Of war being begun"
&c. This Is somewhat Offset however by
the fact that Secretary Shermans letter
to foreign governments. dated last Friday
notifying them of the position of the
United States on contrabahd goods. block
AIDES, &C. referred to the war as prospec-
tive and not as alr' ady in existence
All OF the foreign embassies and legations
here have received from the State Depart
ment copies of the Presidents pr1clamat ton
announcing tlSa lApckade of Cuban ports
and also Seclttaiy Sherman's letter an
several questions connected with the war
The four points covered in the letter of Mr.
Sherman have already been made public,
and stated with the same breyitv as
heretofore published. The letter says that
the declaration is made In view of the i'm
portance Of hte question to foreign powers
and 1t requests the foreign representatives
at Washington to promptly communicate tie
the letter to their governments This has
been done by cable in of all the lead
ing foreign establishments
Concert of Powers,
If the foreign powers contemplate anv
joint action OH neutrality. this step has not
yet been made known to representatives in
Washington Neither has the British en-
bassy received the neutrality order. which
1t Is said that the London foreign office has
completed. 1t is the expectation in all the
foreign quarters here that neutrality will
take the usual course. and no exceptional
moves H. this direction are anticipated.
SPANS official order. published in the
Official Gazette on the subject of neutrality,
prlvateertng aid right of search Is looked
upon in diplomatic circles as extremely
important, particularly In its declaration
that Spain proposed to exercise the right
of search of neutral ships on the high
seas
The Right of Search.
1t is said the exercise of this right Of
search may cause Spain more trouble than
resort to privatser!ng. There Is consid-
cradle doubt whether Great Britain and
Germany will calmly permit this search to
proceed on their merchant ships carrying
the bulk of commerce to and from the
United States. While thu Spanish notice
states that privateering will not he resort
ed to. yet 1t adds that merchan. steamers
will be equipped as auxiliary cruisers At
first this was thought by the authorities
hers to be an indirect resort to priva.eering.
Diplomatic authorities do not SO regard it,
however. ,n ,n
They say the priyateer is turned loose as
freebooter. without direct orders from a
government. while the auxiliary cruisers
remain constantly under the governments
orders. 1t is not this. but the right of
search, which is looked upon in diplomatic
circles as the most serious phase of SPANS
official notice to the world.
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