The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-01

procaaH4tson hy pYexsdeax LkncDEn- In
test case ere ot the szssorz vas coe-
dsmned 10 death. wtereussoa the Coated
crates PLACED in hostage for the Ives at
several Federal officers taken prisoner ar
Esfs Ran. TIE gallant Col. corco.an.
header Of the Irish sixty-ninth. was chosen
70 share the fate OF Sailor Smith should
sass extreme penalty l@ Sx1ctsd IA his
ease This threat Of retaliation seytsest
the question % piracy. TIE savannah
prisoners ard their hostages were ex-
changed. ard priyateerln= went on swim
rssngiy unit, the end Of issz. the North
having set up fair blockade, the Con-
fesieracy abandoned the practice. sending
oszt insseaa IA. commerce destroyers Ficr-
ia, Shenandoah. Alabama and Others.
The Shenandoah sailed in the Arctic seas
fer months after the war ended. destroy
ing Yankee wfaiers. and her captain was
threatened with trial for piracy. Nothing
came CT IL. So the close OF the civil war
left the subject OF rrivatesriag where TX
found II and where il stands today. legal
for all who choose 10 engage in IL. ex-
eeps the powers bound by the treaty of
Paris
However. the United States twice dur
ing the war placed Itself on record first
against and then for privaseering. al
though no decided action was taken
ed Soon after President Davis Issued his
proclamation about letters OF naarque. in
April. issl Secretary CT State Seward
asked the United States minister at the
court of 81. James to secure a reopening
of the congress % nasioas which formed
the treaty of Paris In order that the
United States might join the circle, as IL
had originally been invited to do, Grea;
Hritain declined TO negotiate and the mat
IL
States congress authorized President Lin
coin 10 issue letters Of maraue at d.scre-
tiuF, but he never used his powers
In the present crisis Ii is a.. a question
of exDedieney. Existing treaties between
the two countries traverse In part the pre-
cepis CT the treaty OF Paris These pre-
eepts will be adhered to IN spite Of the
rupture whenever their operations are mu-
sualiy' beneficial. The internal trade OF
the United States has nothing to fear from
prirateering. and there remains little after
that which cannot bo abandoned with
trihing loss. Spain could possibly add
somewhat 10 her naval strength by issu-
ing letters of nlarque, and her commerce.
however great In volume. is not So rich
as to tempt reiTisai by priva.eering. OF
course her merchantmen would he ex~
posed TO attack Only trial viii show
whether that il worth while In any
event 1t will not be profitable for adven-
turers OF either country to risk expensive
privaieering steamers on the ocean IL the
merchant fleets OF each beIiigerent shall
De conveyed by armored cruisers and IN
the end they surely will be. muck to the
discontinue of any guerrilla ship which
private means can put afioat
The cast OF privateer able to cone with
modern armed merchantmen wouid he
from $aoevV to $1,000. 600: hence the owner
would take risk OF losing q fortune by ono
well directed shot. II would pay better 10
lease the vessel TO one OF the helligereuts
for the auxiliary navy Lack Of coal
would be a drawback upon Spanish pri-
sateers operating or this side of the At
lantie, for Success in privateering depends
on the capacity for long cruisea
A report TO the effect that the United
States had decided not TO issue letsers ~
marque against Spain was applauded in
England for the manifest reastu that the
state or British commerce renders that
country anxious upon this point. She
would like 10 see priYateeripe totally
abolished. Perhaps other parties 10 ,ha
treaty o. Paris will use their good Of
nces induce Spain to refrain from
priVateering. Unless they do so the Hatred
ssates will BE- Likely TO cling to its rish,s
in the matter, reserving the measure for
retaliation in case of need.
GEORGE L. KIIMEp