The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-08-30

q
two cruisers from the squadron at the
Cape of Good Hope without delay to
ocate the Russian volunteer fleet
steamers Smolensk and Petersburg,
and to convey to them the order of
the Russian government that thew
must not further interfere with neutral
shipping The premier stated that this
action was taken at the request of the
Russian government.
This extraordinary statement was
made when the premier. by appoint
ment, received a deputation of the
Iondon chamber of
Prior to receiving the deputation, Mr..
tBalfour during the day had been busily
engaged in connection with the question
which had been raised with regard to
the Russian treatment of British ship
ping. After giving a number of pri-
vate interviews the premier held an
important meeting at the foreign office
to which representatives of the intelli-
gence department of the war Office the
admiralty, the foreign office and the
board of trade were summoned. To the
deputation Mr.. Balfour said that before
making general statement, he desired
to hear evidence tending to show pref
erential treatment by Russia, which
was a most important phase of the sit
uation.
Members of the deputation quoted the
case of the Portland and Asiatic line
steamer Arabia and the British steamer
Calchas. The former was allowed to
proceed, while the latter is is still at
Vladivostok and the members point out
that both eases were equal, so
far as the nature of the car
goes was concerned. The cargoes of
the Peninsula and Oriental company's
steamer Malacca and the Hamburg
American line steamer Scandal were
also quoted. Each of these vessels had
ammunition on board, but the Scandal
was allowed to proceed. The deputa-
ton next referred to the sinking Of the
British steamer knight Commander
and the German steamer Thea by the
V~ladivostok squadron and pointed out
that compensation had been paid in
the case Of the Thea. while it had not
been eve promised in that of the
knight Commander. Members of the
d~eputation also stated that it was no
torious that shipments of contraband
of war had been made from Antwerp
and Hamburg, while insurance rates
from those n from French ports were
much lower than from English ports.
in the ratio of five shillings to twenty
shillings.
The Associated Press learns that
while the British authorities desire to
continue their c~onciiiatory policy they
have informed the Russian govern
ment that the Smolenski's interference
with British shipping must stop, and
they object strongly to the examina-
ton Of merchantmen so far from the
scene of hostilities by any Russian
cruiser h objection, it is said today,
applies to the British steamer Asia
equally with the Comedian. The Asia
which is now at Port Said, was detain-
ed and examined in the Mediterranean
by the Russian auxiliary cruiser Ural
Regarding ~contraband of war. Mr..
Balfour said it was difficult TO define
clearly what was c~ontraband of war.
but the government had not accepted
the doctrine laid down with some Rus
sian notifications, to the effect that
coal, foodstuffs, cotton and many other
things were absolutely contraband of
war and that the fact that they were
found on board a ship justified the seiZ-
ure of the goods, and in certain cases
the confiscation of the vessel. The case
had been put most clearly by Lord
Lansdowne to the Russian government
and from the position taken, there was
no possibility of receding.
Mr.. Balfour said the shipping indus
tries might rely on the government do
ing everything right and just to pro-
tect the shipping interests.