, 1898-05-14

(Dady Telegraph, 2oh Aprll

l"""y telegraph, 2oh 1pril.)
British shipping, it is admitted n tho City
Of London, Will. IN the event of hostijnas
between the United States and Spam he Ma.
Ii"usIy inconNenIenced and suffer conseuuent
loss ot tralr, unless The Government arrive
AT some understanding with the two bell.
seIeIlts by winch the rights Of |neuhrals slnll
DE effectively safeguArdeI. lnquiIy Of lead
ing ShIpowners yesterdt y revealed au almost
unanimous view that our commerce was
Ii'bIe TO be grayeIy nfee.cd, if not iniuIi-
nuSIy A"IlGssed, by cruisers %calIying The
!H'S 81 America or spain, and claiming to
lSlFWae the limitations which we've imnooel
upon maritime warfare by the D,claiuIion
81 I"l!s, TO which neither Of these two
Powers was party. The Declaration If Pan,
was issued IN 1886 by the Powers which L,d
taken part IN, or had been most directly
interested IN, the Crimean Wan, with he
"oI"ct Of Introducing into International reIa
tionS hXed principles, 50 that The uncertainty
winch occasionally gave rise to SERIOUS
differences Of opinion, and even conflicts
might be removed. The rules laid down
weto these
Privaioorin g is abolished
? Tho neutral flag covers rnclAJ s goods
with tho reception Of couuabnnd Of war.
3. Neutral gool5 vuh u,r exception Of
contrahnn'I Of war. ao not libIe to capture
under the emmy $ tIo5.
/. Blockades, in order to bc binding must
be e1ectiye-that is to say, maintained by a
tolce sufficient really 10 prevent access TO the
coast Of the enemy.
To the tirst Of the above articles tbr
United States objected, mainly on the ground
that, III the 'piniOn of the Government. in
was 70 be seriously apprehended that if the
use OF prlvateeIs be abandoned, the dominion
over the seas will be surrendered 10 tho.,
Powers which adopt the policy, ana have the
means, OF keeping up large nayice."
\ pllvnteer may be defined as IN armed
private ship, commissioner by "A bellieelcnt
Sovereign to depredato on the Of
bis enemy, and rewarded by a share Of the
capture. Questions now to be determined
are
l.. Will any neutral Power recognise
letters Of marquo granted to priNateers either
by the Unite States or Spain e?
2. What is cOntraLand of wan?
3. Will either belIigrrent consent to fore.
50 such right Of SEARCH OF ncul,al vessels for
things which may be capable # being imme.
diately used in war, aud which me intended
for the enemy
Shipowncrs, having relations with Spain
aud the United States, in discussing those
points, We're anxious to avoid giving offence
to either Power, but the appended opinions
ar. those of gentlemen who have tic best
title to speak.
IT is very difficult" paid one high %authori.
ty. Ito make out what the renl position is.
1t is clear that the two belligclents, apart
from their non adhesion to the Declaration
OF Paris, have The right of stopping and
searching neutral vessels. and ! link thew
must retain it. No Power at war could give
it up. Surprising that it has the knowledge
that a neutral ship is carrying very impor.
tant supplies to the other side, it could not
afford to permit that ship to land its goods
But then comes the question, If such ships
are to lie stopped, what is to happen to the
81