The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-12
ANSWER TO
AMBASSADOR
CHOATE'S NOTE
On oontraband Seizures Has Been
Received by the State De-
partment, and
IT IS HIGHLY SATISFACTORY.
Goods on Two of the Vessels Not
contraband, and the Other to
Be Examined.

Be Examined.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 1.-THE
answer of the British government to
Mr.. Choate's representations respect
ing the seizures OF American -four and
other goods on the vessels Beatrice,
Mashona and Maria has been received.
Just as the officials of the state de-
partment expected, It amounted to a
partial answer very satisfactory SO far
as It goes, dlsposlng OF the character Of
some goods seized, but not finally de-
Gliding broadly whether or not food
stuffs are to be regarded as contraband.
The British government adopts pre-
cIsely the point of view regarding the
seized goods that was assumed by the
state department and embodied by
Mr.. Choate in his note on the subject
addressed to the British foreign office.
In brief, Mr.. choate reports as follows:
That the answer is highly satlsfac-
tory: that 1t Is broad and liberal in
terms. The position assumed by the
British government is that food stuffs
in transit to a hostile destination can
be regarded as eontraband OF war only
when they are supplies for the enemy's
forces. 1t is not sufHcIent that they
are capable of being used for the bene-
fit OF the enemy; 1t must be shown that
they are so in fact through their desti-
nation at the time Of the seizure. The
British government does not claim that
any of the American goods on the
German bark Maria and the British
bark Mashona were contraband of war.
The British government Is investigat-
ing the facts in connection with the
goods seized on the third vessel, the
Beatrice.
Mr.. Choate's message embodied sue
clnctly the authorities relied upon by
the British government to sustain its
position. and as this position, as al
ready stated, is one of those already
assumed by the state department, of
course they are regarded as convincing.
For this reason Mr., Choate's message is
long, and 1t was nearly noon before 1t
could be deciphered and placed in Sec
retary Hays hands. 1t SO happened
that Lord Pauncefote, the British arn-
bassador, was with the secretary short
Iy after he received his message. and
probably the subject was discussed by
them. It is certain that both the secre-
tary and Lord Pauncefote appeared to
be gratifIed at the progress being made
toward a settlement.
Nothing was said directly in Mr..
Choate's original message. nor in n
supplementary message. which came
later. explanatory of the preceding
message. touching release of the
seized goods. but OF course, fair In
ference from the statement that the
goods on two OF the vessels had been
found to not contain contraband is
that they either will or have been re-
leased. II any question arises as to
compensation to the owners on account
Of these seizures. that can be adjusted
later on. 1t is probable. however, that
the British government will not wait
for any hint, but will voluntarily make
such amends as seem to be fair.
It is believed that the uncertainty as
to the character of the Beatrice's cargo
is based upon an imperfect knowledge
Of the ownership of the goods, The
American consIgnors. however, evident
ly apprehendlng that some doubt might
exist on that point, have come forward
with the positive statement that they
have not been paid for the goods ship
ped. and that the drafts drawn by the
conslgnees in South Africa were not
collectable until the goods were safely
delivered at their destination. Mr..
Hopkins, the legal representative here
Of one OF the largest firms concerned in
the ownership of the goods, was at the
state department this morning to dis
cuss the subject with the officials.
The next step win be the collection Of
data by the state department and by
the British foreign office to fully es-
tablIsh the character of the goods on
the Beatrice, and 1t is not expected
there will be any further deliveries
meantime by the British government
upon the general subject Of the contra
band character Of food stutts,