The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-12
iI5lR IS NOT gON1RABAND.
-.essm ADMIT THE AMERICAN
CONTENTION IN FULL.
- rney Have No Right to scise
rsS1 sAips Unless Designed Di-
LILY tor Use Of the noer Gov
.,.nsat--rhey VIII ray Damages.

,vAaprN0TON. Jan. 1.-THE answer OF
Y" p,dtish government to Mr.. Choates
su.sv.ssrta tons respecting the seizure OF
'Srsn nour and other goods on the
llsS.' vessels. Beatrice, Mashona and
1870 has been received. Just as the
sssr,sIs OF the state department expectea'
y ,s.srounted to partial answer, very sat
factory as far as It goes, disposing OF tne
snsrncter Of some OF the Gooas seizeu. pu.
cn g. swsi,v deciding broadly whether or not
w are to be regarded as contra
band. ,.,.. rrec,salv
- ro,nt OF view regarding the seized
ss~ss that was assumed by the state oe-
ssssssSrs,,t and embodied by Mr.. Choate In
ks- rofe on the subject addressed to the
r,t,,sh foreign office. In brief, Mr.. Choate
rspcrts as follows:
I'm the answer Is highly satisfactory;
IN Il il In broad and liberal terms.
ma position assumed by the BRUSH
.ssrrrsnt is that foodstuffs In transit
q ! hostile destination can be regarded
= contraband Of war only when they
~ ruuplies for the enemy's forces. It IS
~ sufdcient that they are capable OF be-
n. Med for the beneft OF the enemy. IL
-.,st ~ shown that they are 80, in fact,
- thsir destination at the time OF seizure.
- british government does not claim
tnst any of the American goods on the
German bark Maria and the British park
Nsshona were contraband of war. Inc
,3ritlsb government is investigating the
ssrts IN connection with the goods seized
- fhe third vessel, the Beatrice.
NJ Choafe'a message embodied succinct-
4, ia authorities relied upon by the Brit
ID government TO sustain its position
M Il this position, as already stated,
4 sne of those already assumed BY the
Sfsfs department, of course they are re-
s ssrssd a. convincing. For this. reason
ShGss b1soSs i a e Cnf 5. a dsophs wss
"a placed in Secretary Hays hands. II
3 happened that Lord Pauncefote.. the
I3ritish ambassador. was with the secretary
shortly after he received ne message.
them II is certain that both the secfs-
tary and Lord Pauncefote appeared TO oe
srati6ed at the progress being made to-
ward Z settlemenS Of the eases. rs...
sssssags which came later. explanatory OF
ibe preceding messAse. touching release
* tie seized gsodS. but Of course fair
rcods u tive Of the vessels had been
2ooa1 to b. net contraband, = that they
~ s. viii be released. II any question
arisss as TO compensation to the owners
q assont q these ssi,"rss 5nas can g
mat the British government will not wait
fof any further hint. hut win voluntarily
make such amends as seems to be fair.
character OF the Beatrice's cargo is based
on Imperfect knowledge of the ownership
oi the goods. The American consigners
APPARENTLY apprehending thatsdoubt might
WITH the positive statement that they have
not been paid for the goods shipped, and
hat the drafts drawn by the consignees
n South Africa were not collectable until
he goods were safely delivered at their
NJ. Hopkins. the legal representative
hsfv Of one of the largest firms concerned
y the ownership Of the goods, wss At the
state department this morning to discuss
TIE case with the officials.
The next step will be the collection of
data By the state department. and by the
British foreign office to fully establish the
and II is not expected that there will in
the meantime be any further deliveries by
the British government upon the general
subject of the contraband character of
Later in the day the following Official
statement was given out by the state de-
partinent:
"A telegram has been received from Am
bassador Choate reporting an Interview
had BY him with the Marquis Of Salisbury
on the afternoon of the 10th inst, in re-
gard to the American shipments OF -four
and provisions on the detained British
suipb Beatrice anu MdSuOHd anu inc Dutcit
steamer Maria. The British view as to food
Huffs and hostile destination is that they
can only be considered contraband Of war
u supplied for the enemy's forces, It not
being sufficient that they are capable OF
being 80 used. but it must be shown this
was their destination at the time OF SELF
ure. This qualification virtually comedies
the American contention that the goods
were not subject to seizure, and practically
dssvows the seizure. 1t not being claimed
that there is any evidence of hostile des-
tination"
Does Not Look for Acceptance.
LONDON, Jan, 1.-THE Standard In an
editorial upon the governments reply to
MI. Choate and Count Won Buelow, says:
We shall be much surprised If the Brit
ish government definition of international
law, as applied to the carriage Of food
stuifs. fails to find acceptance at Wash
ington and Berlin"
Amicnbie settlement Expected.
i Is asserted that the German cruisers
schwalbe and Condor, which were ordered
70 Delagoa bay, have been instructed to
proceed instead to Cape Town. This indi-
Gates belief in German official circles
mat the contraband controversy will be
amicaby settled.