The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-28
SHIPMENTS WILL STOP.
No More American Goods to Be Billed
to DeIagoa Bay.

TO 0G4h5O2 lay
New York. Dec. 28.-The three vessels
whose cargoes have been interfered
with by British warships at Delagoa
bay-the Beatrice. the Mashona and the
Maria, the two first named being Eng
liSh and the third German, carried
among other American products about
20, 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
ment principally that caused the Eng
lish Warships to take action. therefore
the advice and opinions of specialists in
international law is being sought by
shippers regarding flour as contra
band of war.
company admitted that their entire
shipment on the three steamers for
Delagoa bay was consigned to mer-
chants in Johannesburg, although they
disclaimed any knowledge of its being
intended for use by the BOer govern
ment. A. ]. ToOmey, one OF the mining
cOmpany'S agents said that they were
not certain whether their shipment had
been seized or that the vessels had SIM
ply been warned away from Lorenzo
Marques. In either case, he said, his
company was left in a peculiar predica-
ment owing to the fact that the various
papers dealing with the shipment had
gone by mail to Johannesburg houses
and it could not be recovered inmed-
lately.
1--WE have no other shipments in tran
sit to Delagoa, fortunately" said Mr.
TOOmey, land under the circumstances
it is not likely that we will have"
u. D. Edye of the Flint, Edye & Co,
who had shipments on the detained yes
sells, when seen yesterday, made light
of the whole question
1.-THE value of our entire shipment"
he said, docs not exceed $4,000. 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 we'll for them, as [ don't think it
will put needless obstacles in the way
of American merchants. The chief inn
portance of this matter, of course, lies
in it's relation to international law. IN
ternational law is not established by
union of nations, but rather in preced-
ents established by one nation and
acQuiesced in by others. England may
be establishing a precedent in this case
and the attitude of other nations may
be watched with interest, for this case,
in its international legal aspect pre-
sents several new and important fea-
lures. All we can do is to watch and
wait for the governments action"
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 M Norton, of
Norton & Son, agents for the three yes
sells detained on the African coast, yes
terday said: 1--WE will receive goods for
delivery on Delagoa bay, but with the
express provision that we will not be re-
SpOnSible for their delivery. Shippers
are naturally unwilling to take this risk
and at present Lorenzo Marques is
practically eliminated from our list of
ports"
Herbert Barber, of Barber & Co,
spoke in a similar strain regarding
Delagoa bay shipments.