The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-26
UNITED STATES MAY
BE INVOLVED IN IT.

Sinking of the knight Commanders
Cargo to BE Looked Into.
Washington. July 25.-Minister Con-
ger at Pelxin has cabled the State De-
partment under to-day's date that he
has been informed that the Russians
to-day evacuated New Chwang.
He also confirms the published re-
ports of the sinking by the Vladivo-
stok squadron of a British steamer
with cargo consigned to the Ameri-
can Trading Company.
The vessel mentioned by Mr. Con-
ger is the Knight Commander. Hopkins
& Son, the local agents of the Ameri-
can Trading Company. report that the
steamer sunk was of 5000 tons and
sailed from New York sixty days ago
under charter by Howard, Houlder,
Rowatt & Co.. London and New York.
The general cargo she carried belong
ed mostly to American merchants and
was consigned to the American Trad
ing Company's shipping agents at Yo-
kohama, on account of the chartering
firm. 1t is stated positively that the
cargo contained no contraband of war,
and it is expected that the State De-
| partment will be addressed on the sub
| ject.
The weeks investigation by the
| State Department of the problems con-
nected with the operations of belliger-
ent ships against neutral merchant
men. has crystallized in a letter adj
| dressed to the Pacific Mail Steamship
! Company.
The department does not deem it
| opportune to make the letter public,
but it is understood to be based upon
| expressions delivered in preceding adj
mnistrations of the State Department,
which in substance warned shippers
against the carriage of contraband and
in violation of port rules imposed by
! belligerents in a position to enforce
them The position of the department
in this matter will be speedily and
publicly developed, not academically,
| but in connection with the first pro-
test which is lodged with the depart
ment against the action of one of the
belligerents toward an American ship
or an American cargo.
| The case of the knight Commander
is regarded here as complicated and
difficult of treatment. 1t is appre-
hended that if the contention of the
shippers agents that the cargo con-
tanned 10 contraband of war is cor
rect, the general doctrine of "neu-
trail flag covers neutral goods" has
been violated by the destruction of the
ship and cargo.
A fact developed this afternoon which
might have led to serious complica-
tions. had it not been announced that
the Russian government had given or
ders for the release at Suez of the
British ship Ardova. This vessel had
/ on board a large quantity of supplies
being shipped by the War Department
to the Philippine sovenrannnt, includ-
ing about 250 tons of powder and
much other material that would fal
within the Russian definition of con-
| traband. The stores were being ship
ped through the house of George w.
| Peabody of New York, and the Orient
who to-day telegraphed the War De-
! partment that the Philippine stores
We're aboard the Ardova and asked the
department to exert itself to secure
| their release. The application was
| promptly taken by acting Secretary
| Oliver to the State Department, but in
| view of the release of the Ardova il
is improbable that any action will be
taken by the department.