The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-29
THOSE FLOUR SEIZURES
State Department Will Investi-
gate the Matter Fully.
NO INFORMATION AT HAND
Officials Are in Absolute Ignorancs OF
the Real State OF Affairs-The
Case Presents Many Compli-
Gated Problems.

Washington, Dec. 2S.-The ascertain
ment of the facts connected with the
seizure OF American flour by British
warships off the coast of Portuguese
East Africa has been conhfided to the
United States consular agent at Lo-
renco Marquee. This officer was Sc
lected by Mr. Hollis to look after the
affairs of the United States consulate
at Lorenzo Marquee during the time
he (NIr Hollis) was discharging the
duties of United States consul at Pre-
toria. Mr.. Hollis has reported to the
state department that the consular
agent is a thoroughly capable official
and may be trusted to look after
American interests at Lorenzo Marquee.
Under the Instructions sent tc him by
Secretary Hay yesterday he will ascer-
tain all of the facts connected with the
seizure Of the flour and particularly
the names of the persons to whom this
flour was consigned and the actual
ownership of the goods.
The department Of state is deter
mined to do everything proper to MAIN
tain American rights In the matter OF
neutral trade in this case. But, SO far,
the department is in absolute ignorance
Of many essential facts regarding the
seizures, and cannot proceed to make
any complaint until it has made sure
of its ground. 1t does not even know
that all Of the flour was seized as was
at first reported and there Is reason to
| believe that at least one consignment
was not seized, but was simply diverted
to another port than to Lorenzo Mar
quez, and there left subject to the dis
position Of its owners. Although this
may also be a breach of neutral privil-
eyes, 1t presents a different case from a
seizure.
To determine with accuracy all of
the elements necessary to the prepara-
ton of protest against 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 the foreign
powers which undertook to protect
such vessel that they would be obliged
to await the usual and regular action
of our prize courts. Thus when a
French ship was towed into Charleston,
notwithstanding the representations
| made by the French government, our
| government insisted on carrying out
all of the routine proceedings of prize
trial. In one of the cases growing out
of that particular seizure it was nearly
two years before the parties claiming
| to be aggrived by the seizure and de-
| tention of the ship secured a final de-
cision of the case by the supreme court
Of the United States. Yet this case
| was simplicity itself compared with the
| legal problems presented in the stop
page of q British merchant ship by a
/ British man-of-war and the search of a.
| neutral cargo for contraband of war.
| These facts are set out by the Off
Gals of the state department as an ex-
! PLANTATION of the reason why the state
| department has not yet so far yielded
! to the clamor of certain element for
! ill-considered and hasty action in the
case of these reported seizures off Della
/ goa bay.