The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-28
SERENE CONFIDENCE
Il Felt In Washington Regarding
Seizure of American Cargoes.


New York. Dec. 2s.-A special to the
Tribune from Washington says the
equanimity at the state department is
not at all disturbed over the signifi-
canoe attached in legal and mercantile
circles to the stopping by British war
ships OF British and Dutch merchant
vessels bound for Delagoa bay with
cargoes exported from the United
States. The officials express confidence
that the British government will make
full reparatiOn for any act committed
by it's naval agents if it turns out to
have been Illegal or unjustif1ed and
they profess a profound conviction that
EngIishmen are not taking any hazard
Gus chances just at present of antag-
onizing any considerable popular ele-
ment in America
1t is not known to the secretary of
state whether the cargoes owned in
this country have actually been con-
fscated. nor precisely what articles
Great Britain proposes to regard as
contraband during the continuance of
the South African war 1t is said that
every nation on becoming engaged in
hostilities makes its own rules. as rigid
or lax as the occasion seems to demand
and seldom takes other nations into its
confidence on the subject This was
the case when the war with Spain be-
gan. Neither nation having subscribed
to the privateering clause of the treaty
Of Paris. a proclamation was issued by
the president announcing adhesion to
its provisions. The queen regent issued
a decree. which, while reserVing the
letters of marque would not be granted
But Spain did not announce what
course she intended to pursue in other
matters nor did the United States, ex-
cept in confidential general orders to
naval officers, fix any definite policy as
to seizures and cOntraband-
The supreme serenity of the state de-
partment regarding the flour seizures is
perhaps best illustrated by the steps al
ready taken to ascertain the facts of
the case, which are an essential prelim-
mary to further action On the receipt
of complaints from American exporters
that their products had been detained
and that their delivery at the neutral
ports of destination, DelOgOa Bay, had
been refused, the secretary of state i'm
mediate1y transmitted the complaints
to Ambassador Choate at London and
Consul Hollis at Pretoria for inVeStiga-
ton and report.
These notes were by mail and Mr..
Choate has barely received his own by
this time, while that of Consul Hollis
will scarcely reach him before March
l, 1900. AS agents of the state depart
ment. reply to communications by the
same means of transmission as the
original query, no official information
is apt to be in the possession of the
authorities in Washington for weeks
months.
The reason there was no resort to the
cable to determine whether American
interests have been unjustly affected is
found in presidents established over a
year ago, when, Notwithstanding the
seizure of British and other vessels by
American cruisers, European nations
realized that this government in its ad-
miralty courts would determine the
merits of each case as rapidly as pos
sible, as well as be amenable for dam
ages in the case of every mistake and
that the greater the mistake the longer
the delay, the greater would be the lam
ages to be satisfied
The consideration shown by foreign
ers whose vessels had been captured
last year and sent under prize crews to
an American port of detention was ex-
tremely gratifying to this government,
which might have been seriously en-
barrassed had neutral governments by
a show of Impotence forced the exec
utive into the attitude of Fastening the
judiciary. The point officials make is
that the British imperial authorities in
London are not yet more acquainted
with all the facts in the detention of
ships off the south coast of Africa than
are American officials and as these
ships admittedly did not fly the Ameri-
can flag there is no notional affront in
volved calling for drastic measures as
when the Alliance was fired on or when
Capt. Sigsbee brought to the Restor-
mel In the latter case the British gov
eminent made no complaint whatever