New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-06
NEUTRALITY NOT VIOLATED
REPORT ON BRITISH OPERATIONS AT
CHALMETTE LA.

REPORT ON BRITISH OPERATIONS AL
CHALMETTE LA.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT FINDS THAT NO
MILITARY CAMP HAS BEEN MAIN
TANNED THERE.
Washington Tune 5-The President to-day sent
IN the House the report of Colonel Crowder, VINO
investigated the charges of Governor Hearo Oh
Louisiana that the neutrality laws were oelns Flo
lated by British operations at Chalmette' La III
| transmitting the report the PRESIDENT sent tue
| following message
To the House of Representatives:
In response to the resolution of the House OF
Psepsden 10 send cd to the House
yes i not srns 3 wlaf 1he of the
cation recently made by his order as to tne ~ a.
eoiection and Shipment to South Africa Of military
supplies including horses and fr1 o,oneI Grow
der the officer who made the inyestigatio on re-
recton the Secretary of state addressed on the Sd
this month the Governor of Lousiana ee1g
Heard in which he Charged certain Violations o Of
Of Chamet La which communeation with its
Enclosures has already been laid before f the reso
~ SS' 5 hSS5R Isl fsSStS9
White House, June 5, 1902.
MERELY A MULE SHIPPING STATION.
Secretary Hay in a letter to the Governor OF
Louisiana dated June 8. up the main facts as
found by Colonel Crowder and also gives the rules
of international usage respecting the sale of goods
to parties at war. Mr. Hay says the serious point
in the charges submitted by Mr.. Pearson ana by
the Boer legislative committee or Phladelpflld was
that the British authorities had enlisted men IN
this country for service in South Africa The gov
eminent made particular efforts to find out II there
was any basis for this charge but Mr. Hay says
that Colonel Crowder's report shows that not a
single instance could be discovered by him. More
over, the Attorney General on May II asked the
Boer legislative committee for evidence whlch
would substantate this charge. but received no IN
formation from them this point. Mr. hay says
that this charge must be considered not only as I'M
proved but as having been made without the
slightest pretence of justification or proof Con-
tinuing. he says:
What has been found is that certain officers OF
the Bsh army IN have nre BEEN engaged in the
work of buying. collecting and inspecting H 9o
and shppfn s' them from pChamete Africa
British rti Government some time since ordered the
recall of all of them. The men emp2yea uIIue ef
mules and horses have been continuous month after
month since the Of e the war prtyae
ship and not under the control of the British GOV
naval transports. Chalmette not military
or post nor base of mi1t ItsrT Paor
ties: in sense save such as wo9iG i mars
SUPPLIES if aour or canned shipped from
either through series of months to any
for the loading and Shipping OF mu sf Of bldng
which did not differ from the other half of the
set which was not hired by me bri if h au
continued in their former use.
MR. HAY EXPLAINS THE LAW.
Mr. Hay next addresses himself TO the law in the
matter, and says duty has been laid down again
and again. He quotes from the declaration OF
Thomas jefferson when Secretary of State at the
time Of the hosti;tes between England and France,
that "our citizens have always been free to make
vend and export arms To suppress their cal1hgs
because war exists in foreign and distant coun-
tries in which we have no concern hardly would De
expected" Similar declaration by Alexander Ham
ilton President Pierce. Chief Justice Chase and
President Grant cited.
LAS for the Treaty of Washington Mr. Hay
saws those who alege that it has any bearing
unon the present situation have not taken the
trouble to read the published dispatches of Secre-
tary Fish behalf of President Grant to Minister
Schenck London at the time or the Ratification
of the treaty" dispatch of June TO- 1Sn, states
that 1.-The President understands and insists tnat
the second rule of Article VI does not prevent the
open sale of arms or other military supplies ETC.
IN conclusion Mr. Hay says:
The President regards it as evident in a view Ss Of
for BY Mr. Pearson the reversal of the con
fien of P our The right citizens
to sell horses and mules and to snip them from
ther Tgst to Ship ogr and whether for the
of civilians soldiers OF the country oL etleI
belligerent There is shadow of excuse FOR the
claim that there has been any VIOLATION OF tne
duties and obligations of neutrality on the part OF
this nation.
COLONEL CkOwDER'S FINDINGS.
Colonel Crowders report is an elaborate presenta-
ton of the conditions existing at Chalmette He
sums up his findings of fact under six heads winch
are substantially as follows:
First-The British remount commission officers
of which operating and direct1ng purchases anu
shipments of supplies in the United STATES Is d
Of tha OSyIiS
Second-As organized by these OfflcerS Chalmette
station is governmental shipping agency LOT put
one class of military supplies. and IL mas not Ihe
character of a base OF military supPhes hor 'hal
OF a military camp or post u...
attempts recruit TO the BRUSH al my
have been made at Chalmette station. nor does the
in the United States. rev muleteers We're re-
cruited but this against the orders OF the
British Government -, &c.. -, - 49,. 20
New~OrIeans to South African ports upon vessels
Chartered by the British admiralty under ordinary
commercial charters. ,,..
gate S17 939 $50 from October. 1899. to March lS2
with an average monthly value OF soSSs; me
mes sixtv-five different vessels being engaged In
the trade making 166 voyages.
Sixth-An supplies have been for the use on the
English army in South AFRICA the tfaoe ha'ins h'
existence prior 10 the war.
Colonel Crowder adds that the port of New-Or-
,ars was extensively used in 1861 to supply the
Snantsh army then engaged in prosecuting hostili-
ties in Cuba
CHALMETTE CAMP ABANDONED.
BRITISH MULE TRAFFIC TO REA CARRIED
ON FROM CANADA HEREAFTER,
~. Orleans June . (SpeciaD.-Mule shipments