The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-29
The State Department Doing Every
thing That Is Proper
To Maintain American Interests in Neutra
Trade in This Case.
Cannot Proceed to Make Any Com
plant Until It Is in Possession
of Essential Facts Regarding
the Seizures OFF the Coast of
Portuguese East Africa-The
U. S. Consular Agent at Lour-
EMO Marques Looking Into the
Matter.

EMO Marques Looking Into the
Matter.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S.-The ascer-
tainment of the facts connected with
the seizure of American flour by British
warships off the coast of Portuguese
East Africa has been confded to the
United States Consular Agent at
Lourenzo Marques. This officer was
selected by Mr.. Hollis to look after the
affairs of the United States Consulate
at Lourenzo Marques during the time
he CHollis) was discharging the duties
of United States Consul at Pretoria.
! Mr.. Hollis has reported to the State
Department that the Consular Agent
I is thoroughly competent official, and
may be trusted to look after American
interests at Lourenzo Marques. Under
the instruction sent to him by Secretary
| Hay he will ascertain all of the facts
connected with the seizure, and particu-
larly the names of the persons to whom
this flour was consigned, and the actual
ownership of the goods.
! The State Department is determined
to do everything proper to maintain
American rights in neutral trade in this
case. But SO far the department is IN
absolute ignorance of many essential
facts regarding the seizures, and can
not proceed to make any complaint un-
/ til it has made sure of its ground.
| To determine with accuracy all of the
elements necessary to the preparation
of a protest against a seizure of the
kind reported necessarily consumes
much time, and the State Department,
following the usual course, cannot be
| expected to do otherwise than in the
| line indicated.
| During our late war with Spain.
wherever a seizure was made by our
warships of a merchant vessel laden
with supplies intended for Spanish
ports, we politely informed foreign Tow-
ers which undertook to protest that
they would be obliged to wait the usual
and regular action of our prize courts.
I Thus, when a French ship was towed
into Charleston, Notwithstanding the
representation made by the French
Government our Government insisted
on carrying out all of the routine pro-
ceedings of a prize trial. In one of the
cases growing out of that particular
seizure it was nearly two years before
final decision of the case by the
United States Supreme Court was Sc
cured. Yet this case was simplicity
itself, compared with the legal prob
lens presented in the stoppage of a
British merchant ship by a British
man-of-war, and the search of a neu-
trail cargo for contraband of war.
These facts are set out by the officials
of the State Department as an explana-
ton of the reason why the department
has not yet so far yielded to the clamor
of a certain element for ill-considered
and hasty action in the case of these
reported seizures off Delagoa Bay.
SHIPPERS NOT WORRIED.
! NEW YORK, Dec. -S.-The three YES
sells whose cargoes have been interfered
with by British warships at Delagoa
Bay, the Beatrice. the Mashona and
the Maria, the two first named being
English and the third German, carried
among other American products about
/ 70, 900 barrels of flour shipped by the
Pennsylvania Export and Milling Com
pany, and it is believed in the absence
of more definite information from the
seat of the. trouble that it was this ship
! fish warships to take action. Therefore
| the advice and opinions of specialists in
international law is being sought by
shippers regarding flour as a contra
band of war.
! The New York agents of the milling
company admitted that their entire
shipment on the three steamers for
Delagoa Bay was consigned 10 mer-
4l,a
disclaimed any knowledge of it's being
| intended for use by the Boer Govern
ment.
M. J. TOOmey, one of the milling COM
panys agents, said that they were not
certain whether their shipment mad
been seized or that the vessels had sim
ply been warned away from Lourenzo
Marques. In either case, he said, his
company was left in peculiar predica-
ment owing to the fact that the various
papers dealing with the shipments had
gone by mail to johannesburg houses,
ana it could not be recovered immedi-
ately.
I'VE have no other shipments in tran
sit to Delagoa Bay. fortunately and
under the circumstances it is not likely
that we will have" said Mr.. Toomey.
had shipments on the detained vessels,
when seen yesterday, made light of the
whole question.
The value of our entire Shipment
he said, does not exceed 1000. 1t con-
sisted of ordinary merchandise mostly
canned goods and was of not much inn
portance. We are perfectly confident
that the British Government, whatever
disposition it makes of the goods, will
pay well for them, as l do not think it
will put needless obstacles in the way
of American merchants. The chief i'm
portance of this matter, of course, lies
| in its relation to international law"
Inquiries at the various steamship
offices developed the fact that none of
the vessels now en- route from this port
! to South Africa has any shipments for
Delagoa Bay. Edward N Norton Of
Norton & Son, agents for the three YES
sells detained on the African coast, yes
terday said
I'VE will receive goods for delivery in
Delagoa Bay, but with the express pro
vision that we will not be responsible
for their delivery. Shippers are natural