The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-10
She Will Pay For the Corn and
Flour Seized
In DeIagOa Bay Belonging to
American Shippers.
FLIMSY EXPLANATION.
Says She Needed the CargOes
For Her Army.
Poaition Is Evasive on Contra.
band Of War.

New York, Jan. 1O.-A special to the
Journal and Advertiser from Washing
ton says:
The essential points in the tentative
answer of Lord Salisbury to the de-
mand made on him by Ambassador
Choate for a declaration of policy and
a concession of liability in the matter
Of the seizures OF American -four in car
goes on the Mashona, the Beatrice and
the Maria are:
F'irst-Great Britain offers to pay an
indemnity to the American citizens
whose corn, meal and flour were seized
by the British cruisers near DelagOa
Bay. The extent of the claims to be
determined by a commission
Second-Great Britain will not de-
clare corn, meal and -four to be contra
band when proof is not positive that
the food 5tuffS are intended for the
camp of the enemy.
Third-Great Britain contends that
she has not violated the rights of a
neutral power by the seizure of this
corn, meal and flour, but that on the
contrary, under her old common law
she has a right to seize food supplies
absolutely necessary for the mainten-
ance of her soldiers and sailors in time
of war, her right being subject to the
equities of indemnity.
The attitude of this government on
the three propositions submitted in JUS
tification by Lord Salisbury is as fol-
lows:
The United States accepts Great Brit
aims offer to pay the American citi-
zens in interest the face value of the
cargoes with a reasonable profit.
Great Britain's plea in justification
is regarded as inadequate and evasive
in that it avoids a general declaration
as to whether, corn meal and flour are
contraband of war, but the answer is
reasonably sufficient because it declares
specifically that the articles on the YES
sells named NOT contra hand Of
as they were not destined for the camp
of the enemy and that was one import
ant contention of the state depart
ment.
AS to the third proposition, the Uni
ted States accepts in good faith the
plea that the goods We're seized as a
military necessity for the supply of the
British army and navy and that such
necessity justified the act of seizure
without prejudice to any other internst-
national questions involved.
A high state department official said
/ that there was no doubt that Great
Britain's inability to supply her army
and navy actually engaged in the Boer
war could be demonstrated. That con-
dition, he said is fairly inferrable from
the fact that the immense army in the
field, the constant drain on the home
base of supplies. the distance of the To-
cal South African bases of supply from
the armies in the field, the Sanger in
the transportation Of them great dis
tances inland and the practically isola-
ted position of her cruisers off Delagoa
Bay beyond the international limit from
shore.
The United States, he said, had agreed
to this contention of Great Britain be-
cause it was defensible by internation-
al law, by British local law and by the
! facts as submitted.
The state department notwithstand-
/ ing this tentative reply which precludes
any chance Of serious friction is still
anxious to obtain a specific declaration
as to whether Great Britain will main
tain the general proposition that -four,
corn and meal are contraband of war
1t is probable in view of the present
amicable adjustment, that the United
States will not insist on an immediate
reply to her demands for a comprehen-
sive declaration of policy.
1t is thought however that inasmucn
| as Germany, Holland and France have
asked Great Britain for a definition Of
contraband as applied to food stuffs,
| the scope of the answer to the United
States may be enlarged in the near fu-
! ture.