Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-06
war is absolutely immaterial in the
disposition Of her case.
In his proclamation of the 22nd ult.
- Ip.,.tla,t said.

In his proclamation OF the 22nd ult.
the President said:
"a neutral vessel approaching any
of said potts or attempting to leave
same without knowledge or notice of
the establishment OF such blockade
will be duly warned by the commander
of the blockading forces, who Will In
dorse or have registered the date OF
such warning, and where such warm
ing was made. and II the same vessel
shall again attempt to enter any
bockading port she win be captured
and sent to the nearest convenient
port for such proceedings against her
and her cargo as may be deemed ad
visable."
In the opinion of officials the La
fayette has clearly violated the pro-
visions of this section OF the proclama-
ton, which was carefully drawn in
accordance with the most advanced
theories OF thu rights OF nentrsR
The seriousness of the question, how
ever, arises from the fact that the
foregoing View of the officials here Is
not likely to be accepted by the French
government and Its Representatives In
Washington. AT the French embassy,
the ambassador had intended to go TO
New York today but on hearing of the
taking of the Lafayette he determined
to remain here to look after such ques-
tions as were likely to arise. In the alb
| sence of official information he asked
| to be excused from discussing what
course the French government would
take. II is said, however, that France
| will lodge protest with the state de-
| partment Immediately upon the receipt
| of official Information of the seizure.
The view Is entertained in French
| quarters that the state department will
promptly direct the release of the La
| fayette. owing to certain circumstances
| In her case. The embassy was adj
vised eight days ago that the Lafayette
| was on her way to this side and accord
ingly notice was sent to the state de-
| partment that this French merchant
man might be expected to reach Ha-
vana about this time. No answer was
received from the state department. but
] after giving this notice the French au-
| thorities took 1t for granted that the
Lafayette would be allowed to proceed
| on her voyage without molestatlon.
| The understanding here was that she
had sailed from st. Nazaire. France,
not from Corunna, Spain, as 81.
Nazaire Is the usual sailing port of
steamers of this line. One of the Off
GERS of the legation made the trip on
one of these vessels short time ago,
and says no stop is made at Corunna,
except occasionally on return voyage.
1t was the understanding also that the
Lafayette was stopping at Havana
merely to recoal, prior to going to Vera
/
the line.
The French think that the Lafayette
| has been delayed through a misa ppre-
hension. and that her release will fol-
low speedily. The grounds for this
view are that she sailed prior to the
declaration of war, and therefore her
captain could not know of this declara-
ton. 1t is pointed out that the declar-
alton or war was on April 20. the Presi-
dents proclamation concerning the
right Of neutrals was Issued on the 26th
and the official notice thereon, signed
by Acting Secretary of State Adee and
addressed to the ambassadors and min
listers here including the French am
bassador bears date of April q.
This. however, is complicated by the
fact that the Presidents proclamation
OF d blockade was on April 22, and the
official notice to the French and other
embassies. signed by Secretary Sher-
man bears date of April %. The point
relied upon, however, is that the declar-
alton OF war was not made un-
cial notice given to the foreign
governments the 9th. In addition to
this, the fact that the French en-
bassy notified the state department
that the Lafayette WIS coming this
way is looked upon as doing away with
making secret move. Up to noon the
embassy had not been officially noti-
fled of the seizure. '''
In other diplomatic quarters It is
felt that an insistence by the French
government that the Lafayette be re,
leased might involve serious conse-
quences.
| While she Is a merchant and not a
government ship, the French governs
ment always has been very insistent
upon the protection of Its merchant
vessels. 1t is not thought this would
ft.saA L.
tious demand that French merchant
men should not recognize the blockade
the same as ships of all other coun-
tries, At the same time the popular
sentiment in France Is such in the
present war that the government
might be impelled to a strict upholdine
OF what is believed to be thee rights
of Its merchant ships.
THE COMPANY STATEMENT.
New York, May Cat the ONCE of
the French Transatlantic line today,
Gen. Traffic Manager Trevoux said
I'VE have received no word from the
Sits the e' . sar med in at th erG Rey
| West dispatch is ours, as she left St
Nazaire on April 81, bound for Vera
| Cruz.
ITO the best of nv know,edge she
had no cargo for Havana II she has
been taken by the American feet for
trying to enter Havana, she probably
| went there in order to obtain a supply
of coal She had been II days out
and her coal supply must have been
| low"
Although Mr.. Trevoux states that
the vessel was not bound for Havana,
though cable reports published here
show that Lafayette sailed from Co.
runna, Spain, for that port.
Nanes of Murdered NI.s,onar,o.
London. May 6.-The colonial office
today received the names of the Ameri-
can missionaries who were murdered
during the rebellion at Ratifunk, Sierra
Leone. West Coast of Africa, as an
nounced on Wednesday last. They are:
Mr.. and Mrs. Caine, and the Misses Ar
cher, Hatfield and Schenck The other
missionaries Mr. and Mrs. BURNER and
the Misses Mullen and Ward are safe
at Freetown.
Government Buys Mark Hanna's Yacht.
Cleveland. o., May 6.-The splendid
| steel steam yacht Comanche which
was built by the Globe Iron Works for
II. NJ. Hanna, In 1896, has been bought
by the government. The vessel was
examined by naval officers about ten
days ago. and the deal has Just been
closed. The Comanche is 1856 feet over
all. l6b on the water line. 25 feet beam
and ii feet deep. He can be made ready
| Tor sea in a short time md will ~,