New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-20
PART ii.
EIGHT PAGES.
NEUTRALITY AND COAL.
-xcr..Np.s OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE
THREE RULEs-AN UNSETTLED CUES
T1ON OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.
London, March II.


rrON OF GREAT IMPORTANCE
London. March II.
rAo naval estimates produced this week by
~ coschen are the largest ever known In
zealand. They have never been excelled. not
IN in the Napoleonic period, when England
IS ArhtinS agains; the world The total is
so- ,,0 600 FOR the maintenance and enlargement
:, ,he navy in time OF peace. the outlay for
naval works being included and with the in
-o.sAa expenditures for the army and the reve-
40 and civil services the Chancellor OF the Ex-
.heouer will have to provide for an outlay Of
t,uv 100000 in excess Of the calculations Of
,.s. years budget speech. While England is
o,ssr,ng her naval and military ornaments on
=. stupendous scale. her shipbuilders and gun
-aksrs are placing foreign nations on high
,.veI OF self-defence. II not on war footing.
ranan is bcilding on the Tyne and the Clyde a
sor.r.,l fleet. China. Chilli Brazil and other
powers are strengthening their naval resources
nth English contracts Spain and the United
Gates are now competitors for the purchase Of
yessels and war material All the English in
,ps,ies % war are pro1ting by the mllitarism
Of the times
Two distinct interests, self-defence and trade,
s,s simultaneously promoted by the mighty
s--1areIiS
been a higher valuation OF naval supremacy and
,.a power as the main safeguards Of the En-
n.r.: bu, now as IN the past, England is help
,,e other nations TO prepare for war and to de-
,snd their Interests These TWO tendencies. i'm
,.-jal and commercial. operate without reference
70 each other so long as peace is maintained
M, whenever there is an outbreak Of war in any
quarter the obligations Of neutrality are felt
gv;- in wa
tries I; then becomes impracticable TO arm, 1t
ont and dispatch in English dockyards vessels
q, war for belligerents. and trade in munitions
and supplies Is subjected TO the risks Of seizure
as cortraband Of war
English neutrality practice. like that OF the
rnl,ed States has always jealousy guarded the
,lrhts ot traders. In England this has been the
natural eNec, OF the Industrial activity OF trad
ing nation In the United States. where the
neutrality precedents were established immedi-
s,sly after the Revolution. when every Euro
pean nation was fighting and Americans were
the only neutral traders, the same principle Of
enlightened self-nterest prevailed. Neither
country has ever admitted that II was an nfrac-
ton OF neutrality TO sell arms and supplies 10
beligerent: but the conversion Of home ports
into base Of operations for hostilities against
q friendly Power has been interdcted.
The bearing Of British neutrality law upon a
possible conflict between Spain and the United
States will illustrate this subject. The Foreign
Enlistment act passed in 1870, in consequence
O. revision o. the neutrality statutes required
by the Geneva Arbitration. imposes penalties of
fine and imprisonment for the fitting out OF YES
sells OF war in English ports for the use Of
benigerent for the organization OF expeditions
and enlistment OF men against a friendly State
and for the establishment in English waters Of a
base OF hostile operations. This act IS stringent
one. and is designed 70 prevent the recurrence Of
such outrages against neutrality as were made
the subject OF the Geneva Award. Great Britain
has agreed with the United States in the Treaty
Of Washington to regulate IT'S cond2ct in war
time not only by the ordinary neutrality statutes
but also by the three rules laid down in that in
rrument These rules contain epitome Of the
neutral obligations. which would be binding
upon Great Britain, IL hostilites should arise
between Spain and the United States.
Under the first OF these rules England would
frd IL necessary 10 prevent the arming. equip
ncn; and departure from any port under Brit
isn Jurisdiction OF any vessel SUSPECTED OF any
Intention Of cruising carrying war against
either ot the belligcrents. The prohibitions are
explicit Whatever vessels Of war now under
construction may have been purchased or con-
tractel for by either Power II will be impossible
10 deliver them after The outbreak OF wa
Neither the Spanish nor the American navy
can be reinforced from English dockyards. The
second rule imposes upon Great Britain the OBJ
legation not 70 permit or suffer either belliger-
en, 10 make use Of its ports or waters as the
base OF naval operations against the other or
for the purpose Of the renewal or augmenta ton
OF military supplies or arms or the recruitment
o. men" The third rule enjons the exercise OF
due diligence for the prevention OF any violation
o. the obligations and duties OF neutrality
Under these rules in time OF war It would be
impracticable for either Spain or the United
states 10 make systematic use OF the ports Of
England and the british West Indies for naval
operations. The Confederate cruisers may have
been unduly favored in their time in coaling and
purchasing provisions and other supplies at
these ports. but II would be ar obvious nfrac-
ton OF the three rules II either Spain or the
United States were allowed to enjoy similar
!svoritisrn during period OF hostilties. Their
ships would be permitted to obtain at any Of
these ports a. least enough coal and provisions
TO carry them 70 the nearest harbor under their
Own flag but they could not purchase arms
ammunition or other military stores nor could
they make use az such neutral harbors as per
nenent ooalng stations. magazines or depots Of
supply
TWO POINTS UNDETERMINED.
These rules leave two points Of the first i'm
Iortance undetermined. These relate 10 the
tent 10 which belngerent ship could he sup
pied with coal az a neutral port. and the validity
O the classification Of coal with guns. powder
ana ordinary military stores as contra band Of
war As matter % fact. coal Is as essential TO
Warship as are powder and guns. Without
'oal ha,tle-ship or cruiser ceases 10 be fight
Hg'machine Coal is Indispensable as military
t0pply. and the warshp is helpless and useless
Without i. This is The logical view Of the mat
~ but II has not yet been adopted without re-
e7s by the maritime nations in their neu-