The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-12
ANSWER OF SALISBURY
Foodstuffs Are CoDirsband Only When
Intended for the Enemy.
cARdoEs Of TWO VESSELS ALL RIGHT
That Al the Beatrice BcinR fnvesti-
gRtesl-Ambnssndo Cbcntc and
Mr.. Hay Are Satisfied.

Washington, January 1.-THE answer OF
the British government to Mr.. Choate's
representations respecting the seizures OF
American -four and other goods on the
three vessels, Madeira, Mashona and Be
atrice. has been received. AS the officials
of the state department expected, it
amounted TO partial answer, very salts
factory as 1t goes. disposing Of the charac-
ter OF some OF the goods seized, but not
finally deciding broadly whether or not
foodstufis are to be regarded as contra
band 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 tho
British foreign office.
In brief. Mr.. Choate reports as follows:
The answer IS highly satisfactory, and
il is broad aud liberal In terms. The posi-
tion assumed by the British government
is that foodstufs in transit to a hostile
destination can be regarded as contraband
OF war only when they are supplies for
the enemy's forces. II is not sufficient
benefit OF the enemy; Il must be shown
that they are so in fact. through their
destination at the time OF the seizure. she
British government does not claim thai
any of the American goods on the German
bark Madeira and the British bark Ma
shona were contraband of war. The Brit
ish government Is investigating the facts
in connection with the goods seized on the
third vessel, the Beatrice"
Mr.. Choate's message embodied succinct-
ly the authorities relied upon by the Brit
lsh government to sustain its position,
and as this position, as already 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 it was neaf-
~ noon before IL could be decphered ard
placed IN Secretary Hays hands. 1t 50
happened that Lord Pauncefote, the Brit
ism ambassador, was with the secretary
shortly after he received his message and
probably the subject was discussed by
them. 1t Is certain that both the secretary
and Lord Pauncetoto appeared 10 be grail
ned at the progress being inade toward Il
settlement Of the cases. Nothing was said
directly IN Mr. Choates original message
nor in a supplementary message which
came later explanatory OF the preceding
message touching a release Of the seized
goods. but, Of course o fair inference from
the statement that the goods on two OF
the vessels had been found TO be not con-
traband that they are or win be released.
IL any question arrives as TO compensn-
tlon 10 the owners % the goods, these
seizures can be adjusted latel on. Il Is
probable, however, that the British gov
ernment Will not walt for any further
hinfi but win voluntarily make such
Namends as seem to be fair.
1t is believed that the uncertainty q.
to the character OF the Bsatrice's eargS
Is based upon imperfect knowledge OF IN,
ownership OF the goods The America!
eonsignors. however evidently appre.
hending that doubt might exist on tina
point, have come forth with the positiy
statement that they have not been pai,
for the goods shipped and that the draft
drawn by the consiguees In South Afric;
wers not collectihle until tho goods wer
safely delivered at their destination Mr.
Hopkins. the legal representative here o
one OF The largest FIRMS concerned In tn
ownership OF the goods, was at the stat
department this morning 10 discuss ia
case OF the officials. Tho next stcp wli
be the collection of data by the state de
partment and by the British foreign offlc
TO fully establish the character OF tn
goods on the Beatrce. and It is not ex
pected that there Will be meantime am
further deliveries by the British govern
ment upon the general subject of the con
traband character of the food sturfs
Later in the day the following ofhcia
statement was given out by the state de
psrtment: "a telegram from Amhassndo
choate has been received reporting an in
terview had by him with The marquis q
Salisbury on the afternoon OF the lOl
instant in regard 10 the American shin
ments OF -four and provisions on tho dc
tanned British ships Beatrice and Mashon
and the Dutch steamer Maria The Brit
ish position as 10 food stuffs and hostil
destination is that they can --nly be con
sidered contraband OF war III supplies I,
the enemy's forces, 1t not being sufhcier
that they are capable OF being so uset
but 1t must be shown that this was the
destination at the time of seizure. Th
qualification virtually comedies the Amer
can contention that the goods were M
subject TO seizure and especially dtsavow
the seizure It not being claimed tina
there 10 any evidence OF hostile destinu
tion"
London, January 1.-THE Standard /
an editorial upon the governments REM
to Mr. Choate and Count Won Bulow, says
we shall be much surprised If the Brit
sh governments definition OF interna
tional law as applied to the carriage {
ioodstufts fails TO find acceptance q
WASHINGTON and Berlin"
-
LOOKING FAR AHEAD.