The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-28
A Fatal Principle for England.

1t Is well known that a British warship
has seized one or more cargoes OF American
-four In transit from an American port to a
Portuguese port in Dclagoa Bay. Our State
Department has. of course, felt called upon
70 request an explanation OF the seizure.
The incident raises some interesting ques.
lions: First, Was the seizure justlilahle?
secondly. II We admit for the sake OF argu-
ment. that it might be technically justified.
was 1t expedient for England to treat food
staple as contraband of war, and thus create
aprecedent which she. Of all nations, should
most dread TO SEQ established:
The Hour seized belonged to American
owners, but had been shipped in vessels
lying the British flag The Treaty OF Paris
promulgated the rule that free shin
makes free goods, except contraband of
war, which is defined to mean arms and
ammunition. That is to say. Il neutral
dag would be exempt from capture. II is
also generally acknowledged that neutral
goods. even when found on board an
enemys vessel, are not good prize. The
United States have long maintained that
even the private property OF an enemy ON
board an enemy's ship should also be ex.
empt, and have offered to adhere to the
declaration OF Paris, provided such a rule
were made 1t cannot for n moment be-
pretended that neutral cargo belonging
to American citizens. which under the
neutral American flag. or even under the
Nag OF the South African Republic, would
he exempt from seizure, does by being
placed on board British ship, become
good prize.
1t might, indeed, be argued casusticallv
that the United States, not having become
a signatory OF the Treaty of Paris cannot
profit by the provision Of the treaty which
declares that free ships make free goods,
but must be re!egated to those rules OF
international law which obtained before
1886, and OF whose application We had so
much reason to conn plain during Englapd's
wars against the French Republic, and
Empire. No intimatlon that the prlncinle
laid down at Paris, that free ships mako
free goods, must be deemed inapplicable
to the United States and other non.
signatory powers, has been put forth from
any authoritative source during the last
forty-three years. II would be suicidal on
England's part to recognize such a quail
hcation OF the principle. Her one safe
guard in the event Of Continental coalition
against her. her one guarantee against
starvation, would be her assurance that
ample food supplies could reach her from
the United States under our neutral fac.
In quite conceivable coniuncturc il might
become for England a matter OF life and
death to see upheld tho principle, first
that free ships make free goods, and
secondly, that food is not contraband
OF war
1t is true that during the first fifteen
years OF this century England invariably
treated food as contraband, but neither she
nor any other country has done so since
the PRONUNCIATION of the Treaty OF Paris
No doubt, the food which kccps n soldier
alive Is quite as Indispensable to him as tina
rifle with which he fires or the cartridya
with which he loads il. II was upon tIis
theory that during her wars against thu
French Republic and Empire England tried
TO starve out the French. Now, however
the situation is altered, France and Ger.
many are well-nGh seli.supporting as re.
gards food supplies and Russia actually
mas surplus OF them for export. England
on the contrary, depends upon outsiders
Tor great preponderance OF the food abe