Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-06
NOT A VIOLATION
THE CRoWDER REPORT AND SEC.
RETARY'S HAYS COMMENT.
Right to Sell Supplies to Parties at
War-The Shipping Depot
at Chalnette.

at ChalmeCte.
7 Included in the Crowder report the
alleged violations of neutrality at Chal-
mette. La. which was transmitted to the
House yesterday afternoon by the Presi-
dent. is a letter under date of June g. from
Secretary Hay to Gov. Heard of that state.
In this letter the Secretary sums up the
facts as found by Col. Crowder, and also
gives the rules of international usage re-
speeding the sale of goods to parties at
war.
Mr. Hay says the serious point in the
charges. submitted by Mr.. Pearson and by
the BOer legislative committee of Philadel-
phia was that the British authorities had
enlisted men in this country for service IN
South Africa The government made par
'ticular efforts to find out if there was any
basis for this charge, but Mr.. Hay says
that Col. Crowders report shows that not
a single instance could be discovered Dy
him. Moreover, the Attorney General on
May l. requested the Boer legislative COM
mittee for evidence which would substan-
tiate this charge, but received no Informal
ton from them on this point Mr.. Hay
says that this charge must be considered
not only as improved but as having been
made without the slightest pretense of JUS
LITIGATION or proof. Continuing he says:
What Was Discovered.
what has been found is that certain
officers of the British army, acting in the
capac city of purchasing agents and inspect
ors. have been engaged in the work of buy
ing collecting and inspecting horses and
mules at different places in the United
States and shipping them from Chalmette
to South Africa. There have been thir-
teen of these officers. The British govern
ment some time since ordered the recall
of all of them. The men employed under
them have all been Americans. The ship
ments of mules and horses have been con-
tinuOuS month after month since the out
break of the war. The vessels in which
they were shipped were of private owner
ship. md not under the control of the Brit
ish government and have not the character
OF military naval transports. Chalmette
was not a military camp or post, nor
base of military supplies, as the terms are
defined by the standard military author1-
ties; nor in any sense, save such as would
make a Touring mill or a packing house
a base of military supplies If flour or
canned meat were shipped from either
through a series of months to any belliger-
ent power. Chalmette was simply ship
ping station for the loading and shipping of
mules. Physically, the station consisted OF
half of a set of buildings which did not
differ from the other half of the same set
which was not hired by the British author
tiles. the buildings of this unhired half be-
ing continued in their former use
The Law in the Matter.
Mr. hay next addresses nlmSel1 TO the
law In the matter. and says our 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 hostilities between England and
France: 'Our citizens have always been
free to make. vend and export arms. To
suppress their calIings because a war ex-
lists in foreign and distant countries in
which we have no concern hardly would be
expected"
! Similar declarations by Alexander Ham
ilton. President Pierce Chief Justice Chase
and President Grant were cited.
"As for the treaty of Washington Mr..
Hay says, those who allege that it has
any bearing upon the present situation
have not taken the trouble to read the
published dispatches of Secretary Fish on
behalf of President Grant to Minister
Schenck at London at the time of the rat
ifcation Of the treaty" The dispatch of
June 10, 1871, states that: THE President
understands and insists that the second
rule eff article VI does not prevent the open
sale Of arms or other military supplies"
etc.
In conclusion. Mr.. Hay says: 1.-THE
President regards it as evident, in view of
the quotations given above, that what was
asked for by Mr. Pearson was the reversal
of the consistent policy of the United
States since the formation of our govern
ment. The right of citizens to sell
horses and mules and to ship them from
New Orleans to any other port is as I'M
meat. whether for the use of civilians or
soldiers of the country of either belligerent.
There is no shadow of excuse for the claim
that there has been any violation of the
duties and obligations of neutrality on the
part of this nation
Col. Crowder's Report.
Col. Crowder's report is an elaborate pre-
sentation of the conditions existing at
Chalmette. He sums up his findings of fact
under six heads, which are substantially
as follows:
81 The British remount commission Of
ficers of which are operating and directing
purchases and shipments of supplies in the
United States. is a bureau of the English
army administration.
''2. AS organized by these officers, Chal-
mette station is a governmental shipping
agency for but one class of military sup
plies, and it has not the character of
base of military supplies that Of
military camp or post.
'3. No attempts to recruit to the British
army have been made at Chalmette station.
nor does the evidence disclose any such
attempts at other points in the United
States. A few muleteers We're recruited,
but this against the orders of the
British government.
II All shipments have been from the
port of New Orleans to South African
ports, upon vessels chartered by the Brit
tsh admiralty, under ordinary commercial
charters.
! '5. The transactions of the commission
aggregate ST, 939. $50 from October, 1899, to
March. 1902. with an average monthly
value of S597. 91s The total shipments are
given at 9S.6S1 horses and 7510S mules
sixty-five different vessels being engaged in
the trade. making 166 voyages.
30. All supplies have been for the use of
the English army in South Africa, the
trade having DO existence prior to the
war"
Col. Crowder adds that the port of New
Orleans was extensively used In 1867 to
supply the Spanish army, then engaged in
Prosecuting hostilities in Cuba.