The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-07-28
FORMAL PROTEST MADE
 TO U. s. GOVERNMENT
RUsSIA,S SEIZURE OF AMERICAN
 GOODS ON THE ARABIA.

Senator J. H. Mitchell, of oregon, Rep-
 resenting the Portland Milling Com
 pany, Asks That Necessary steps be
 Taken to Secure Indemnity and satis-
 faction-Declares 98,OOO Sacks of
 Flour on Arabia Were Shipped to
 Hong Kong.
 Washington, July 27.-The state de- partment has finally received formal protest against the action of the Rus sian navy in seizing American goods and as the result of it's preliminary study of the law and precedents govern ing the subject, it is prepared to act energettically and promptly. This pro- test relates to the seizure of an Amer ican cargo on board the Hamburg American steamer Arabia bound from Portland Ore, for Hong Kong, China. United States Senator J. H. Mitchell, an attorney of Portland, telegraphed the state department statement of the condition under which the Arabia car ried out this cargo.
 MT. Mitchell stated that he represent ed the Portland Milling company, which shipped on the Arabia for Hong Kong 99.OOo sacks of flour, worth about $1O0,OOO. He declared that this flour was in no sense contraband for it was not destined for Japan, and it was part of the normal trade of the company, and was not a war order. MT. Mitchell requested the state department to take the necessary steps to secure indemnity and satisfaction for the owners of the flour and also to protect legitimate neutral trade from such serious inter- ference as these attacks by the Vladi- vostok squadron. Maxwell Evarts and D. A. Chambers, two attorneys, came to the state department to-day in connec- ton with the same seizure and Acting Secretary Adee immediately referred them to the solicitor of the department, who also has before him the protest of the Portland Milling company. The department officials positively decline to say what course they intend to pur- sue. save for declaration that there will be no inconsiderate action that the whole subject of interference with American trade by belligerents in the present war will be considered and that each protest that may be forwarded will be part of a uniform and consistent policy to be followed by the depart lnent. So far the department has lit tie information as to the circumstances connected with the seizure of the Arabia and her cargo. As the vessel was under German flag it is presumed that Der lin will be apt to receive the first re- ports of an official character. None of the attorneys actually knew from any of their own principals that the ship had been seized and the basis for that belief rests so far upon newspaper pulp lications.
 The case es the Knight Commander, a neutral ship laden with neutral goods and sunk by the VIadivostok squadron is regarded as a particularly strong one against the Russian Government has not yet been made the subject of for mai protest, although discussed be- tween officials and attorneys and that case therefore will not accompany the Arabia case is the latter is to be pre- sented at once to the attention of the Russian government. Undoubtedly, however, the dictum of Hall an English Authority which unqualifiedly bars the sinking of a neutral ship, will be adopt ed here as it is in England as the only sound principle to follow in the Knight Commander case.