The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-08-26
British Cruisers Searching
for the Russian Ship
SmOlenSk.
Carry the Cars Orders That
Seizures of Shipping
Shall Cease.


ers from the squadron at the Cape of
Good Hope to locate the Russian vol
unteer fleet steamships Smolensk and
St Petersburg and convey to them the
orders Of the Russian Government that
they must not further interfere with
that this action was taken at the re-
quest Of the Russian Government.
This extraordinary statement was
made when the Premier, by appoint
ment, received a deputation of the
London Chamber Of Commerce. The
deputation was appointed at meeting
held earlier in the day by the China
and East India section of the chamber,
which was attended by representative
ship owners in trade in the Far East,
and at which the following resolution
was passed:
The meeting of the members of the
London Chamber of Commerce con-
cerned in trade with the Far East views
with grave apprehension the continued
uncertainty of the position of British
trade and shipping with regard to what
constitutes contraband of war, as in
The meeting trusts that his Majestys
Government viii take such immediate
steps as will afford all reasonable pro-
lection to British shipping and to in
sure to it the same degree of immunity
from veXatious stoppages and exam
nations as is apparently enjoyed by
shipping of other nationalities.
DISASTROUS TO SHIPPING.
At the same time the meeting pre-
pared a letter addressed to Lord Lans-
dOwne, the Foreign Minister, in which
it was stated that the continuance of
the present situation was having a dis
astrous effect on shipping and was
causing irreparable damage to the
whole course of trade with Japan and
the Far East. The letter further said
that the commercial community would
welcome any measure, however strin-
gent, that might be necessary to place
British commerce on the same footing
with that of other non belligerent coun-
tries in the treatment of so-called con-
traband of war.
Prior to receiving the delegation,
Balfour, during the day, had been bus
lily engaged in connection with the
gard to Russian treatment of British
shipping. After giving number of
private interviews the Premier held an
important meeting at the Foreign Of
flee to which representatives of the
intelligence department of the War Of
fee. the Admiralty, the Foreign Office
and the Board of Trade were sum-
moned.
Balfour said that before making a
definite statement he desired to hear
evidence tending to show preferential
treatment by Russia, which was a
most important phase of the situation
and concerning which the Government
had no conclusive information, and to
learn of any concrete examples of diff
| ferential treatment by Russian officers
and Russian prize courts, which. he
said, would be carefully considered.
NUMEROUS CASES CITED.
Members of the Chamber of Com
merce deputation quoted the cases of
the Portland and Asiatic line steam
ship Arabia and the British steamship
Calchas. The former was allowed to
proceed, while the latter was still at
| VladivGstok, and the members pointed
as the nature of the cargoes was con-
cerned. The cases of the Peninsular
and Oriental Company's steamship
Malacca and the Hamburg American
line steamship Scandal also were
quoted. Each of these vessels had
ammunition on board, but the Scandal
was allowed to proceed.
The deputation next referred to the
sinking of the British steamship
knight Commander and the German
steamship Thea by the Vladivostok
squadron and pointed out that COM
pensation had been paid in the case of
the Thea, while it had not even been
promised in that of the Knight Com.
mander.
Members of the deputation also
stated that 1t was notorious that ship
ments of contraband of war had been
made from Antwerp and Hamburg.
while insurance rates from those and
from French ports were much lower
than from English ports in the ratio
of five shillings to twenty shillings.
In his reply Balfour said that EN-
bassador Benckendorff has advised
the Foreign Office here that the
cruiser that overhauled the Brit
ish steamer Comedian off the
southeast coast of Cape Colony
on August u probably was the Smo-
lensk, in which case her action could
be explained only on the supposition
that the orders telegraphed to her by
the Russian Admiralty, after the Ma
lacca affair." failed to reach her com
mander. The Russian Government.
therefore, proposes to take renewed
measures to see that the Smolensk re-
ceives orders to cease the examination
of neutral shipping. 1t was explained
that before leaving for the south the
Sevastopol and Smolensk took on board
a large supply Of coal, thus enabling
them to keep at sea without visiting
a port where orders could be delivered.
Russia had asked for the cooperation
of Great Britain in getting orders to
the Smolensk. This was gladly agreed
to and the British Government ordered
two cruisers to attempt to deliver the
instructions from Cape Colony. Russia