The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-12
CHOATE WIRES DEPARTMENT.
STATES ENGLAND'S POSITION On
FLOUR SEIZURES.

Must Positively he shown That
FoodstuHS Are Intended for the
Enemy before They Are Subject to
Seizure-Not Sufficient to show
They Are Going i'm That Direction.
Seems That an AmicabIe Under
standing Has Been Reached.
Washington. Jan. 1.-THE answer of the
British government 90 Mr.. Choates rep
reservations, respecting the seizures OF
American flour and other goods on the
three vessels. Beatrice. Mashona and Ma
ria. has been received.
Just as the officials of the state depart
ment expected. it amounted 20 a partial
answer, very satisfactory as far as it goes,
disposing of the character of some of the
goods seized, but not finally deciding
broadly whether or not foodstuffs are to
be regarded as contraband.
The British government adopted precise
ly the point of view regarding the seized
goods that was assumed by the state de-
partment 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 satisfactory;
that it is broad and liberal in terms. The
position assumed by the British govern
ment is that foodstuffs in transit to a hos
tile destination can be regarded as contra
band of war only when they are supplies
for the enemy's forces. 1t is not sufii-
cient that they are capable of being used
for the benefit of the enemy; il must be
shown that they are in fact to toe so used
through their destination 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 Brit
ish bark Mashona We're cohtraba nd of war
The British government is investigating
the facts in connection with the goods
seized on the third vessel, the Beatrice.
Goods VIII BE Released.
Mr.. Choates message embodied sue
cinctly the authorities relied upon by the
British government to sustain its position.
a position already assumed by this gov
eminent. Lord Pauncefote, the British
ambassador, was with the secretary short
ly after he received his message and both
appeared gratifed at the progress toward
a settlement of the cases.
Though not mentioned by Mr. Choate,
id is inferred here that the seized goods
either will, or have been already, releas-
ed. Any possible question as to compen
satiOn TO the owners can be adjusted later
on. 1t is probable, however that the
British government will voluntarily make
such amends as seem to be fair.
49, is believed that the uncertainty as
tO~ss. character of the Beatrice's cargo is
based %.".g an imperfect knowledge of the
ownership *e@,,he goods. The American
consignors, hovsr.er. evidently apprehend-
ing that doub 2mIs~.scx Exist on that point,
have come forward with rv2s, positive state
ment that they have not beety-, id for the
goods shipped, and that the draN> drawn
by the consignees in South Africa - a
not collectable until the goods We're safelsS
delivered at their destination. The two
governments will now seek to establish
the character of these goods.
OmciaI Statement Made.
Later in the day. the following official
statement was given out by the state de-
partment:
"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 instant in
regard to the American shipments of -four
and provisions on the detained British
steamers Beatrice and Mashona and the
Dutch steamer Maria. The British posi-
ton as to foodstuff and hostile destination
is that they can only be considered con-
traband of war if supplied for the enemys
forces, it not being sufficient that they
are capable of being SO used, but j. must
be shown that this was their destination
at the time of seizure. This qualification
virtually comedies the American conten-
ton that the goods were not subject to
seizure and practically disavows the seiz-
ure; it not being claimed that there is any
evidence of hostile destination"