The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-27
CHOATEIS INFORMED.
American Ambassador Must Investi
gate Seizure of American Goods.

American Ambassador Must Investi-
gate Seizure of American Goods.
New York, Dec. 27.-Secretary of
State John Hay has communicated with
United States Ambassador Choate in
London regarding the seizure off the
coast of South Africa of three vessels
loaded with American goods and con-
signed to merchants in Lorenzo Mar
quez, Delagoa Bay. r. w. Geldart, an
export merchant of South William
street, is one of the sufferers by the con-
fscation of the goods in transit and
he has laid the facts before Secretary
Hay. Mr.. Geldart said today:
I notified Mr.. Hay about the seizure
and in reply he sent me letter, saying
he had communicated with the United
States ambassador in London. I am
going to have the matter brought up in
congress and see what redress Ameri-
cans have for these seizures. The pro-
ceed1ng was a most high handed one
and without precedent I believe. The
Pennsylvania Milling company, Flint,
Eddy & Company, and others, are as
badly off or worse than I am, as they
had goods on the same vessels.
Il shipped n quantity of beef and
lard on the Beatrice, a British vessel
which sailed from the North Central
pier, Atlantic basin, in the latter part
of November. The Mashona, another
British vessel, sailed early in NOvem-
Der. and on her I had a quantity of
beef and -four consigned to the same
y
ish government seems Is be acting on
the theory that all goods consigned to
DelagOa Bay are meant for Pretoria,
but the Onus of proof lies with the
government With this I have nothing
to do. 1 consigned the goods in the us
ual way to a reputable firm in that ter
ritOry and these have been seized by
order of the British government Both
these steamers were under the British
flag, too"
A. J. Toomey, president of the Penn
sylvania Milling & Export company.
said that to denOminate an ordinary
household necessity like -four as con-
traband Of war is improper. Provisions,
he said, can not be held to be arms or
munitions of war.
''Inasmuch as the vessels were bound
for a Portuguese port" he continued
"on which no blockade has been decIar-
ed and as their cargOes were consigned
merely to merchants in johannesburg,
who have nothing to do with the war,
except to furnish provisions to the
wives and children who remain at
home, it is unlawful for British war
ships to seize or send back the mer-
chant ships of foreign traders unless
their cargOes are declared especially
cOntraband Of war and a blockade is
established along the African coast"
At the British consul's office in this
city. yesterday, the statement given out
on request for an expression of opinion
about the seizure was: IF you will show
war I viii tell You what I think about
this. If our countrymen consider flour
contra oand q war, as giving aid and
their sustenance. it was perfectly right to
seize the vessels on the high seas, even
though they We're directed to a neutral
port In the recent Chinese war rice was
declared contra band of war
Judge Addison Brown, who presfdes
over the United States admiralty court
for the southern district OF New York
was asked yesterday if the seizure of the
two English ships the Beatrice and the
Mashona carrying American cargOes. was
justihable and if the seizure OF the neu-
trail ship. the Maria of Holland, carryin e
a neutral cargo, could be defended in law
he said; Tt is very difficult for me to
believe that the English had no better
reason for Selling any of the ships than
that they considered the cargoes of -four
cOntraband of war If destined directly
for an enemy it might be considered I'M
der certain circumstances as SUCH but
as Hour simply. 1t can not be considered
cOntraband. The proclamation of the
Spanish government at the beginning of
our recent war, referring to c0ntraband
Of war, named. arms, munitions Of war,