New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-21
NO AMERICAN PRIVATEERlNG.

The Governments declaration concerning
rnles Of naval war. already forcshadowed In
these columns. will be regarded by the Nation
and the world with hearty satisfaction. IL deals
with the three questions of prvatecrnc ncu'
trail goods and ships, and blockades. the frs'
Of these is the one on which most Delllgereht
interest is centred. and on it the Government
determination Is distinct. unmistakabc and ex-
actly right There will in this war he no pri-
Watering under tho American flag. NO letters
of marque and rcprisal will be- Issued by TINS
Government The right to resort TO such meth
obs Is not In the least degree relinqu!shed. nor
is any pledge made not to exercise thar rlght
in future. But for the present the Government
feels assured that there Is no need of II, ana
that it may therefore for this occasion forego
the privilege. In thus doing It places Itself In
line with the sirnatory Powers Of the Dec!ara-
ton OF Paris OF 1886 without committing Itself
TO that declaration or modifying the position
taken by It nifty years ago.
Privateerlng was formerly widely practlsed.
II was not only deemed legitimate. as tech
ncally 1t still is. but 1t was one Of the most ef-
fcctivc forms of naval warfare, especially for
the weaker of two Powers 20 wage against the
stronger. England employed 1t with dcstruc-
tive effect against Spain in the long struggle
which resulted in the breaking of the latcr's
all but Worldwide dominion and the establish
mcnt of the former as mistress of the seas.
This country used it to great advantage in the
War of 1912 and even In the War of the Ecvo-
LUTON And the possibility that II might want
TO do so again was sufficient to 1uslify Mr..
Marcy in declining TO subscribe to the Paris
remuneration Of II. It Is only justice TO say that
his reasons were so admirably stated that they
commanded the respect even Of those whom his
attitude defeated In their effort to embody the
abolition Of privateerlng firmly in international
law Al time when the United States did
not have and perhaps did not want 20 main
tain n powerful naval establishment. 1t would
have been folly for il 10 pledge Itself not
10 make use of It's mercantile marine for belg-
crcnt purposes In case Of war with n nation
possessing a superior navy. Nor. rs Mr.. Marcy
also urged could 1t with due regard for It's self
respect allow any other Power TO determine
tho character OF the force which II might deem
proper TO use in prosecuting hostilities. De-
pending upon volunteer army. in case Of need
the Nation had right 10 make use also OF
volunteer navy From those principles the time
may not yet have come for us TO make perma-
nent departure
However that may be, the United States
IS now confronted by an enemy whose navy
is inferior to our own and with which we are
competent to deal without recourse 10 pr
Watering The introduction OF swift cruisers
or commerce dcstroyers, into the Navy has
moreover. provided the Government with the
very class of ships which formerly were pro
vidod chiefly by volunteers. We have really
no need Of prvateers. So while tho Declare
ton Of Paris on that subject has not the force
of international law and Is not yet recognized
rs such by the United States. 1t IS n source of
great qualification that We can now conform
course. Spain did not join the other slgnatory
Powers In that provision OF the Declaration OF
Paris: and she is at liberty TO take whatever
course she thinks most betting her National
character and the nature OF the struggle In
which she Is and has been engaged Whatever
her course may be. that OF the United States
IS already determined In line with what we
firmly believe to be the better md controlling
tendencies OF American well OF European
civilization.
The other rules announced by the Govern
mcnt provide that neutral flag shall cover the
enemy's goods, and that neutral goods shall be
safe even under the cnemy's flag. always OK
ceptng contraband OF war, and that blockades,
TO be binding, must be effective. These are
identical with the rules laid down in the Dec
laraton OF Paris, and are in accord with the
traditional policy and practice OF this Nation.
The world Is therefore assured that the war
which now seems imminent. however severe 1t
may be, will be waged on our part with scrupu-
lous regard for those principles which are held
by the consensus OF nations to be in the In
tcrest Of humanity and civilization.