New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-22

Great Britain will not permit lightning cham.
from merchant vessel TO armed cruiser A.
other words, il these unchartsred libertine. -
the Russian navy attempt stop or to Sea-
a British vessel, they will be called upon ~ an
sist and If they refuse TO obey the demand ,hev
Will be fired upon and sunk. We further mr.
derstand that the Ottoman government viii ,an
steps 10 prevent the passage of these raru,
faced vessels through the Dardaneiles. and in
the event of their evasion. will notify our Sow
eminent of their departure. These problems a.
altogether independent of the war in the r..
East We are acting and shall continue to ac,
not as the allies or Japan. but as the creates.
naval power, protecting the highway against tn
Illicit tnrOads of pirates.
The significance of such language by a uan.,
so much in the confidence of the governre,,
and which has been strongly in favor of Am
Anglo-Russian entente scarcely be over
estimated.
The standard" also. sees little abatement in
The gravity of the crisis a result of the sta,e
ruents from ST. Petersburg that the MaIacc,
viii be released.
The Daily Mali says that there is reason 10
believe that the British garrisons in the Mad,-
terranean will be strengthened by drafts from
the United Kingdom. while several vessels will
ne sent to the vicinity of the Dardanelles and
others to Port Said.
The Associated Press learns that Count Bench
endorff the Russian Ambassador at a confer.
ence with Foreign Secretary Lans6owne vesta-
day afternoon. made what may be considered IN
DE a preliminary reply to the British profess
against the seizure of the steamer MaIacca Ia
assured the Foreign Secretary that his govern
ment had no intention of infringing ON The
rights Of Great Britain or any other nepsr,l
power. ami that if a mistake had been made an
the seizure of the Malacca. unquestionably the
steamer would Immediately be restored and
damages would be paid.
The Aulbassa dor pOinred ont that II v-ss So,
reasonable to suppose that the Malacca had been
seized without the commander of the ST. Peters
ourg having good grounds to believe that she
mad contraband on board. Unless this suspicion
was effectually disproved the matter would have
TO go before prize court, which procedure
Great Britain herself follows. In the mean time
Russia Will make full investigation in order 10
establish definitely the grounds on which the
commander acted The Ambassador also In
formed Lord Lansdowne that he had teegraphsd
the British protest to St. Petersburg. and said
it would receive the immediatae attention of
the Emperor and Count LaYnSdOrf. Suisse
quentiy Count BenC&enGOrf informed Lord
LansdOwne that inquiries were at once begun
and that a prompt reply would be made.
authorities incline to the conclusion that the
commander of the St. Petersburg made q grave
mistake in seizing the Malacca. This can be
established by his reports. which have been
telegraphed for, and IL this opinion is con-
irrned orders will be telegraphed to release the
Malacca.
With respect TO the question of the passage
OF the Dardanelles. which Great Britain has also
raised, il is said here that both the British and
Russian diplomats hold the view that this does
not demand the immediate attention which the
MalaCCa incident requires. 1t is pointed out
here that the Russian position generally is as
follows:
The treaties regarding the DardaneIIes pro-
hibit the passage OF the Straits by warships
Russia has no intention OF violating this pro-
vision and has not asked Turkey To DO so. But
the treaties do not forbid ships from tTaversing
the Straits with arms and munitions. Turkey
or any other power has nothing 10 say con-
sequenty, about the armament of ships after
their passage through the Straits. Russia holds
that not a word In the treaties forbids action
such as taken by the ST. Petersburg and the
SmOlenSk
There is reason to believe that Great Britain
is exchanging views with other powers regard
ing the operations of the volunteer fleet steam
ers and the hardships thereby inflicted neU-
trail commerce. or To which il is liable. The State
Department at Washington, particularly. has
been kept Informed of the developments in the
matter. II is said in n responsible quarter that
the State Department is giving special attention
the legal aspect of the question of the seizure
of contra band. and il is thought Secretary Hay
may consider that the danger. which nlenaees
American commerce passing through The Red
Sea is sufficient to warrant the issue of a gen
eral declaration respecting the attitude OF Amer
lea. This would be we.Aomed by the Foreign Of
flee here. which believes the principles actuating
many also. il ia believed here. is in mood 10
welcome some International declaration tending
to increase the liberty of neutral commerce.