The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-04-28
A DECREE ISSUED.
spanish Government Declares War Be
tween Spain and the United States.
One Month Gwen United State. shlps te
Leave Spanish Ports-Fiye Rples
That Spain viii Observe
During tho War

| AD"'p' hpTil 20 ne followi 1g de
'ree was gazetted Sunday:
diplomatic relations are broken of
between Spain and the United States
ana the state of war being begun be.
tween the two countries, numerous
| questions of international law arise
which must be precisely defined.
chiefy because the injustice and provo.
cation come from our adversaries. and
II IS they who by their detestablc con.
duct have caused this grave conflict y
The royal decree then saws Spain
maintains her right to have recourse
TO privateering and announces that for
the present only auxiliary cruis.
erS will be be fitted out. All
treaties with the United States are
annulled: 30 days are given United
states ships to leave Spanish ports
and the rules Spain will observe dur.
ing the war are outlined in five clauses.
covering neutral flags and goods. con.
traband OF war, what will be consid.
cred blockade. the right of search
anu what constitutes contraband of
war, ending with saying foreign pri.
vateers will be regarded as pirates.
Contin uing, the decree reads:
we have observed with the strict.
est fidelity the principles of interna.
tlonal law, and have shown the most |
scrupulous respect for morality and
the right of government. There is an
opinion that the fact that we have not
adhered to the declaration of Paris
does not exempt from the duty of re.
specting the principles therein enun-
riated. The principle Spain unques.
tionably refused to admit then was the
abolition of privatecrng. The gov.
'rnment now considers ii most indis.
to make absolute reserve on
his point, in order to maintain our
6erty of action and uncontested right
q nave recourse 10 privateering when
We consider it expedient.
Following is a summary of the more ! :
important of the five clauses OUTLINING
he rules Spain will observe during the
var: {
!. BY organizing Immediately force
I cruisers, auxiliary to the navy. '
ihich will be composed of vessels of
ur mercantile navy. q
:. Neutral merchandise, except Coz.
of war, is not scizablc under I
ne enemy's flag. d
3. A blockade to be obligatory must e
effective, viz. it must be main. S
lined with sufficient force TO prevent 4
'cess to the eneny's littoral. b
a. The Spanish government uphold. b
e its right to grant letters of "
argue. will at present confne itself a
organizing, with the vessels of the 81
ercantlle marine, force of auxiliary
uisers which will cooperate with the NJ
IVY according to the needs of the ;
mpaign and will be under naval con. OF
oil. Il
>. In order to capture the cnemv's ST
Fps and contiscate the enemy's mer.
andise and contraband of war under III
latever form the auxiliary cruisers 10
II exercise the right of search on the Ell
yh seas and in the waters under the l.
emy's jurisdiction, in accordance
tn international law and the regula. pa
ms which will be published
: Defines what is included in con. hr
band of war, naming weapons, am. pa
milton, equipments, engines and IN =,
neral, all the appliances used in war. VI
. To be regarded and judged as pir. li'
5, with all the rigor of the law are u
'talns, masters, officers and two. IN
rds OF the crew of vessels which, not We
ng American, shall commit acts of az
r against Spain, even if provided me
n letters of marquc issued by the no
tied STATES