Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-04-28
FOR 100000 VOLUNTEERS.
President Mckinley Is About to Issue a
Call to the Nations Citizen Soidiery-The
Question of Privateering.

President Mckinley Is About to Issue a
Call to the Nations Citizen Soidiery-The
Question of Privateerlng.
Washington, April 23.-There were
two further important steps in Wash
ington yesterday towards actual hos
tilities, not to mention the overt act
involved in the seizure of the Spanish
vessel Buena Ventura. off Key West.
The first was the issue by the president
of his proclamation announcing to the
world n blockade of mum ber of Cuban
ports, and the second was the signing
by him of the bill providing for the
utilization of the volunteer forces in
war. The proclamation was delayed
in issue until to-day, owing to the fact
that it had been prepared in advance
of the adoption of certain amendments
to the bill.
The proclamation calls for 100, 900
men to serve as volunteers for one
year. If the precedents are followed,
Secretary Alger upon the issuance of
the proclamation will request the eX-
ecutives of the states to detach from
the militia the quota they may be
called on to furnish
In addition there was notable re-
tirement from the navy department in
the case of Capt. Royal Il. Bradford,
chief of the equipment division, who
became so impatient to join in active
service that he addressed a letter to
the president resigning his position
and stating that he wished to com
mand warship.
Capt. Bradford addressed n similar
letter to Secretary Long with the addi-
ton of a request to have a command OF
an active warship. The resignation
will be accepted and Capt. Bradford
will be given one of the best ships in
the navy.
The state department addressed an
Identical note to the representatives
of foreign nations accredited to Wash
ington, notifying them of the policy tc
be pursued by this government in the
matter of privateering and neutrality.
The statement declares that our gov
ernment will not resort to privateer-
ing; that enemys goods in neutral bot
toms, save contraband, are exempt
from seizure; that neutral goods not
eontraband under enemy's flag are safe
from seizure and that blockades to be
binding must be effective. These are
the principles laid down in the Paris
agreement of 1856. The officials are
not disturbed at notice from Madrid
that Spain will refuse to be bound by
the same principles and forbid priva-
teering, for they are satisfied that the
great powers will not tolerate priva-
teering.
The following statement has been
obtained from a high official: Con
traband of war-In determining, ac
cording to the law of nations, whether
merchandise is contraband of war, it
| is classified: Absolute contraband;
2-occasional or conditional contra
band; 3-goods not contraband. The
, first class includes all goods of a war
like character.
The second class includes provisions,
naval stores, coal, horses machinery,
iron, etc, which are subserviep+ to
warlike use. and destined for the use
| of the enemy.
The third class includes articles not
suited to warlike use. No article of
merchandise is contraband unless
transported beyond territorial waters
of neutral state, nor unless destined
for an enemy's port, or for an enemy's