The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-03-09
MORE PEACEFUL FEELING
SEEMS APPARENT IN WASHINGTON
OFFICIAL CIRCLES.

Preparations Now In Progress to Put
This Country in a State of Defense-Cap-
tain Brownson's Mission Abroad-Ques-
tion of Right to Buy warships.
Washington, March Sin spite Of
numerous conferences of officials, the
continuation of preparations now in
progress on large scale to put the
country in a state of defense and the
outburst of patriotic speeches in con-
gress, there was a certain feeling ap-
parent in the best informed circles that
the situation as to our relations with
Spain was to-day much more favorable
than it was yesterday. Perhaps the
semi-official advices received from
Madrid, indicating peaceful purpose
on the part of the Spanish government,
contributed in large measure to that
feeling, or it may have been that the
growing knowledge of the vast extent
of our own resources tended to the be-
lief that they would impress others
with the futility of attacking the Unit
ed States. However that may be, the
feeling prevailed, and at the White
house, too, after the cabinet meeting
wherein all of the facts known to the
president as to the existing state of
affairs were laid unreservedly before
the cabinet members and discussed.
Captain Brownsoa's Mission Abroad.
While Captain Brownson is going
abroad for the government to learn
what ships Of war are for sale and
their condition, he will not necessarily
make any purchases. The officer left
Washington tonight and will take the
st. Paul to Southampton, sailing from
New York. He will report his investi-
cation to the ambassador at London.
He has been furnished all of the in
formation in the possession of the navy
department respecting the shipping in
course of construction in Europe and
had talk to-day with Mr.. Lane, who
is said to have some of those ships for
sale, though he does not at present
have the right in the case of the two
small Brazilian battleships now build
ing at LeSeinne in France. AS to
these, or indeed any Brazilian or Chill
ian warships, it has been discovered
that Brazil and Chill are parties to
treaty by the terms of which neither
country can sell any of its warships
unless the other also sells ship. The
reason for this peculiar provision is to
be found in the alliance that is re-
ported to have been entered into by
these two countries for mutual protec-
tion against Argentina and other South
American nations. Captain Brownson
does not expect to stay abroad long,
and goes only on condition that he may
return Immediately in case of an open
rupture.
Right to Buy Foreign Warships.
AS to the right to buy foreign war
ships all authorities agree that such
purchases may be made, even after
I1ostilities have begun, if the neutral
nation exercises strict impartiality be-
tween the belligerents and the ships are
not armed and outfittcd ready for SER
vice The trade of ship building is rec
ognized as legitimate one, which may
be carried on at all times. Mr.. Clay,
when secretary Of state, laid down the
principle as follows: "If it be forbid
den by the law Of nations to sell to a
belligerent an armed vessel completely
equipped and ready for action, it is be-
lieved not to be contrary to the law
to sell to belligerent a vessel in any
other state, although it may be con-
vertible into ship of war" Mr.. Clay
specified case in which Spain and one
of the South American republics, then
at war, each bought a ship from the
same shipbuilder, which ships after
ward met on the sea, and had an en-
gagement. He also specified the case
of Russia's selling a whole fleet of
ships to Spain, while Russia held a
neutral attitude between Spain and the
! southern republic with which she was
\ at war.
Findings of Supreme Court.
The subject has been before the
American courts and in one case JUS
tice Story held: while the sale of a
vessel, armed or unarmed, to bellig-
erent, is not forbidden by International
law, such a vessel, even on it's way to
the purchaser, is liable to seizure as
B contraband." In later case before
Il the supreme court, the distinction is
n made between the unlawful act of fit
ting out and arning a ship of war for a
i belligerent and the lawful act of selling
3 such ships to be converted into men
of-war. The decision says that the
distinction is the same as that between
3 the lawful act of a gunsmith in selling
8 a pistol, and the unlawful act of the
same gunsnith in arranging that a
8 pistol shall be used for criminal act.
Preparations.
A good deal is being accomplished in
q the way of preparation in both the
q navy and war departments The con-
8 ference at the navy department to-day
81 looked into the procurement of a suit
d able store of ammunition, coal and
supplies, touched upon the question of
8 dry docks, and generally considered a
q, number of other matters connected
4 with the operation of warship The
81 war department was not behind the
navy. General Flagler, chief of ord
S. nance, is very busy reaching out in
every direction by means of the tele-
graph and the mail to learn just how
far the resources of the big private
manufacturing concerns can be relied
s on to come to the aid of the war de-
partment in arming and equipping a
volunteer army should one be found
necessary. He will not tell what he
81 is doing in this direction, holding that
it is not wise to make everybody ac-
quainted with either our strong or