The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-04-23

Washington. Apdl 3. There were two
further lmput,Au, ,icp, IN Washington to-
ward activities, not To mention the overt act
involved ia the seizure Of tho SpnHI'h vessel
Bucna vc.tura Oh Key West The 6nt VA the
issue by tho president OF hi. proclamation a.
nouncing 10 the world the blockade Of a mum
Der of Cnhau Ior,. Rud thr seconl was the
,lgnins by him OF the blI provi ling for the
utilization of the volunteer forces IA tho war
Then, In addition, there was notable aciisn
at the navy dcpnrtmru, IA the case " Captain
Bradford, chief Of the equipmont division, lie
has become 30 impatient to join In active
service tha, he today addressed the following
letter TO the president,
II respectfully tender my resignation rs
ehici Of the burcau Of equipment Of tho navy
department It has been n great pleasure tn
serve durlnG yolr administration IN my pre-
seut capacity. aud | bcg leave th express my
thanks Tor the honor conferred upsn me by
yourappoiuimcnt To such responsible once
This resignation is rendered only that may
ask Ter active srryic' aAoa;
Captain Bradford will be given o1c OF the
best Of ihs available ships N the navy.
Following up the iurmRlitlcs beginning with
tho blockade Proclamation, the state depart
mcnt this afternoon addressed an Identical
note To all or the representatives OF foreign
nations accredited to Washington, notifying
thom OF the policy to be- pursued by this gov
crnmcnt In the matter Of privatcerlng and
neutrality.
In brief It declares that our government
will not resort to prlyNtcering; that the enc
my's goods In neutral bottoms, save contra
band, are exempt nom scizre; that neutral
goods not contraband undcr the cncmy's
nag are exempt from seizure aud That block
ades to bc binding must be effective In
substance these are the principles rs made
kn wn In the agreement ot Paris OF 1855, Tho
officials ARE not disturbed at the semi official
notice nom Madrid that Spain viii refuse to
bc bound 10y tho same principles aud forbid
priyatccrlng tor they are satisfied that the
great commercial powers will not tolerate the
practice of prlvaiccring under the spanish
nag,
The following unofficial but authentic
statement has been obtained nom htgh
Official or the governments
Contrahand of wOr--lu dcterminlng accord
Ing To the law of nations whether morchon
disc is contrabnnd ofwNr, 1t is classified;
i--Ahsolute conIWbNnd,
a--Occnsionnl or conditional oontrahand
A-Goods not contrNband,
The nrstcl includes all goods of cSsenti'
ally n warlikc character
The sccond.claSs includes provisions, naval
stores, coal horses certain kinds OF machln'
cry, certain forms OF steel, iron, etc, which
are subsorVicnt 10 warlike use and which nre
destined for the use Of the enemy, They are
contrabnnd or not according To the occasion
and the conditions Us to their character ship
men, aud destined use, every such case de-
pcnds upon It's own mctS
The third class iucud, ) articles not suited to
warllke use, such rs church service and music.
nj instruments, household wares aud goods OF
such like articles, and including many that are
purely Of a mercantile article
No article OF merchandise Is conirab0nd un'
less transported beyond the territorial waters
and jurisdiction oI II neutral state, orr unless dcs'
tined for the enemy s port or for the enemy'S
use, or for the onomy's ships on the high sea-,
which belligercnt ships are permitted to police
In search OF the enomy's ships aud oOntrOband
OF war,
Naval officials feel very confident in tho
ability of the Oregon and Marietta not only t.
protect themselves from the Spanish gunboot