The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-30
PRWATEERING IN WAR
How 1t Would Affect Our Mer-
chant Marine.
THE PARIS CONVENTION OF 1856.
why the United States Was Not Party
to That Agreement-A One Sided Com
pact That Did Not Safeguard Our In
terests.

To That Axreement-A One siueu Com-
pact That Did Not Safeguard Our In
terests.
WASHINGTON. March 80.-TSpecial. J.
Now that war between Spain and the
United States seems more imminent than
ever before, European newspapers are sug-
costing that tho United States Is In bad
company because this nation refused to
assent to the Paris convention abolishing
privateering. Nearly all Of the maritime
nations signed this agreement, the only
exceptions besides the United States being
Mexico, Spain and Uruguay. Now the
European papers will have 1t that II war
comes between the United States and
Spain we shall be made to suffer severely
for our refusal to join with the remainder
of the civilized world In prohibiting priva-
teering. They say we shall suffer from the
"piracy" of our foes and that the war will
be carried on in disgraceful manner on
both sides Some of these criticisms have
been cabled to this country and have at
| tracted attention at the hands of interna
| tional lawyers here.
1t is well to remember, however, that
| privateering is an old and honorable meth
cd of fighting and that 1t has produced
names that stand high upon the roll OF
honor In the achievements OF Americans
upon the high seas. Our privateers never
| killed or injured nonresistants, and IL we
are compelled again-as we probably shall
| not be--to issue letters of marque there
| will be no "piracy" in the sense in which
| that word is generally understood. This
| country has no necessity to go TO school to
| any or all the nations of Europe In order
| to learn lessons in humanity. We do not
| fight unless neoessity-the paramount ne
cessity of defending our honor, our right
| to our proper place In the family of ma
| tions-compels us to do so. And when
| that time comes we shall use our avail
| able resources.
Further than this a study of the reasons
| that led to the adoption of the Paris con-
| vention and to the refusal of the United
States to agree to it, shows conclusively
that there Is no necessity for any Ameri-
can to blush for his country's action.
| The Paris Convention.
The Paris convention was adopted In
1885, during the Crimean war between
Russia on the ono hand and England,
France and Sardinia on the other 1t was
originated by the fear that Russia would
issue letters of marque to the great fleets of
American merchant ships, commissioning
them to prey on English and French COM
| merce.
In 1856 Lord Clarendon, British prime
minister, proposed TO Mr.. Buchanan, our
minister to London, that the United States
should agree to treaty between France
and Great Britain, providing that "all cap
tains of privateers and their crews should
be considered as pirates who, being sub
jects or citizens of one of the three nations
who were neutral, should cruise against
either of the three others when belliger-
emit"
Mr.. Buchanan made a good many OBJ
jections to this proposition, the chief being
that what was very advisable for Great
Britain, with her huge navy, would be
very inadvisable for us with our small
navy. Privateers would in some sort, bal
ance the superiority between the two.
President Pierce, in his second annual
message to congress said: "Should the
leading powers of Europe concur in pro-
posing to exempt private property on tho
high seas from seizure by public armed
cruisers, as well as by privateers, the Unit
| ed States will readily meet them on that
broad ground" Later an amendment to
the Paris convention to this effect was
offered by the United States as the price of
its adherence and was declined by the 9th
| er nations.
One Sided Convention.
It is evident that the European nation
wished to go just far enough To protect
themselves and not far enough TO protect
the United States. When we proposed the
extension of the principle SO as to protect
ourselves they backed out. That is all
there is to it,
However, il Is more than probable that
the Paris convention is so drawn that its
provisions can be evaded except In the
most Objectionable forms.
Privateers are of four classes-C) naval
officers commissioned to command private
vessels; (2) merchant vessels under civilian
officers, commissioned to cruise against
the enemy; CD merchant vessels cruising
without commission; (4) vessels of neu-
trail states, commissioned by a belligerent
to cruise against another belligerent.
Glass Is generally held not to be for
hidden by the Paris convention, and class
Q is merely modified by it. In 1870, when
France and Germany were at war. the
king of Prussia invited all German ship
owners TO place themselves and their ships
at the disposal Of the fatherland. The
| officers and crews were to enter the navy
for the war, wear its uniform, take an
oath to the articles of war and cruise as an
auxiliary navy. France at once protested
to Great Britain against this as an evasion
of the Paris convention, but Great Britain
held that 1t was not SUCH
Glass 3 is already forbidden by interna-
tional law, or II not forbidden is so very
questionable that 1t has fallen into utter
disuse.
Class also seems to be prohibited In
most cases by the same law without refer
ence to the Paris convention.
During our war with Mexico that coun
try sent out agents to Europe, particularly
to Spain, with hundreds Of blank com-
missions to be issued to any one who
wanted them, constituting them privsteers
to prey on American commerce. Secretary
Buchanan at once wrote to our ministers
in Europe refusing to recognize these CON-
missions and warning those acting under
them that they would DO tried rs pirates.
They took the hint and abandoned the
i xvorE