The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-02-26
TIE o TOO LATE.
The Resolution In Congress as I o Eng
land Getting Supplies for South ARR
can War In this Country.

London, February 2o.-The action Of
the house of representatives at Wash
ington in passing a resolution to in
quire into the question whether the
United States has broken the treaty or
1871 by permitting the expectation or
horses, mules and other supplies 10 tht
British forces in South Afflca, createu
more academic interest than practlcA4
concern here. The war office oIlcldiS
regarded the possible effects OF any Iu-
ture acton in the United States as DC
ing of small import. as about all the
mules and horses equired Tor SoG-a
Africa had already been T
To the Associated Press correspond
emit Lord unde secretary
of state for the foreign office, today
expressed the belief that the end of the
war. as an active campaign, was now
in sight, and that within a few montns
military operations in South Africa
would assume hat stage which for
-four years has marked the war in Bur
NAH, which wore itself out without at
tracing particular interest in Great
Rrtain or elsewhere.
Lord Cranborne produced the files Of
the foreign office, q o of the tfeaty,
where it has peacefully reposed since
the DAYS when the matter
elATTcu OH COuIlIl lCSg anu AAN ONN
that mules and horses had yet
been classified as contraband of wa.
SO far as supplies 20, the official main
tanned that Great Britain has not Sc
cured from he United States anything
which would come under the head Of
military supplies" which is the word
ing of article 6 in the treaty. He add
ed:
IF tinned beef and so forth are the
G1Innlio< rpfprrp1 IN whV If lg true
enough; but it would seem impossible
to stop the trade of the two countries
in these commodities, simply
we are at war with the Beers. Even
if shipments from America to the Cape
were interdicted, the direct trade be-
tween England and the United States
would continue with exactly the same
result, so far as we are concerned, al
though probably with less profit to the
American seller" Another somewhat
interesting feature pointed out was
England's express refusal, noted in
the treaty. to accept as a principle of
international law the rules VIII ch ar
ticle 6 imposes on neutral governments.
LAS q matter of fact" said a foreign
official, 1--WE have found to our cost
that c-antraband is what each nation
chooses to make it, all treaties to the
contrary Notwithstanding. The report
ed determination of the American
house or ~senta Is rdlShS d
question which might possibly develop
much needed united action, leading
the powers of the world to lay down
up to date principles defining specific
ally what twentieth century neutrality
means and entails.
Washington. February 2O.-The an
swer of the state department to the
house resolution as to South African
will point to the we'll estah-
lished section of international law 4
ranting neutral nations in selling sup
plies to ~biIligerents though these SUD
plies NAV properly be seized by a bill
Iigerent. 1t also will be shown that no
obstacle was interpOsed by the United
States government to the purchase OF
horses and mules by the Beers, VINO
presumably did not do so because they
were unable to land them in South
Africa.