New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-12
NEUTRAL RIGHTS.
Morals from the Dogger Bank
What Peace Conference Nay Do.
rnndnn October @

~
has been a week OF excitement, sensational
Journalism and uncertainty. and it has illus
r-ated the risks Of sudden warfare TO which
nations are exposed by commercial interests
one war may easily bring ON another. Neu-
.-si rights II not respected must be vindi-
-s.ea and unless statesmen have dexterity and
,s4ions good temper the area Of conflict may
- suddenly widened and sown with dragons
.se,h Great Britain. while the ally of Japan.
rss been a Conscientious painstaking neutral,
I'd has treated the antagonists without preju-
sice. yet wanton attack upon the Hull fishing
s.st has brought her people to the verge of war
= defence OF their maritime rights. The Baltic
s,st fred upon four flags before 1t reached the
C,-s,+s Of Dover, and Il il had been allowed to
.,--;r,-e its cruise through the Mediterranean
- Indian ocean 10 Ylad.vostok 1t might have
.-o,,gbt on complications with many powers.
IT, rrincfple nov proclaimed by every British
.ournaI and public man is that hsherTneh nave
-iph1 70 fish in the open sea without Tnolesta-
- ~ disturbance from belligerent conduct
-, Gamma ign thousands Of miles away. Inc
sobfs II shippers. merchants and carriers are
:. vsIfd in time Of war as those OF hsnerfheh
-vs-v nation must protect its Slipping ana It's
.,,rnerce against wanton attack capture ana
.o,sscatjon. Certainly this madcap Russian ao+
-, ,-bo boasted before leaving Lisbon that
-, vas an irresponsible martinez claiming
-,.-,A.es If piracy: but even il naval COM
.-.,asrs are not accustomed to cruise ABOUT
..l-Iessi, in time OF war and 10 hit any Vessel
= e., IN sight neutral commerce is invarlably
so,-ce of danger and invites breaches OF the
,,,orls,s peace. An international guarantee LOT
.,e safety Of private property at sea IN TINE o.
~ viii be z great gain for civilization II Il
.sn he brought about by another hague coi'-
ference Ii viii also be a genuine peace meas
,,r. II viii lessen the chances OF the outhreah
% 4, second war when a campaign Is ALREADY Al
progress. .,.,.
This Baltic outrage has enforced the necessity
for limiting naval operations TO clearly oehleo
theatre Of war, and that is another questio"
-rhlch can be taken up by an international con
ference The Russian procedure IN oVeflauIi1s
,nerohantmen in the Mediterranean. the hed
Sea and the South Pacific. thousands or nllles
from NIanchuria, has been clearly recognized oE
-,.,i-i,oe nations as an abuse Of belllgeTenl
rights. and it has been conducted without Iae
,5,-a7+aee Of coaIing stations and naval bases
sr6 with supplies OF fuel ana provisions pro
cured AZ neutral ports. Indefensible pracIce OF
,bie kind has been followed by an unprecedented
c-7,ise Of 2 feet. during which hshIns poals nave
bean destroyed. neutral ships unoer TOUT IasS
ers5 t1pon and shots sent without warning
-o..re+ Unknown vessels crossing its course
t4.v,nr started in this way. and considering
,;,,sa,f licensed to lombard every neutral yes
81 -o171iur IN his track. the Russian a0h1lrai Is
s+-ernptins 70 continue MS harassing warfare
- re,TraI commerce by coaIing and victual-
ling his ships as he goes along. IAefe Il no
s-Tarent reason Why neutral ports should be
used in this way any more than mat neutral
territory should be crossed by armies for con-
,,enience In var. and certainly naval operations
sgafrst commerce ought not 10 be conducted at
81 remote 2 distance from the actual theatre OF
me csnpafcD. Surely the time Is coming when
var ct sea viii be confined 70 the hostile naFles
and when neutral commerce Unoer any flag. even
On erer71v's will be exempt from seizure ana at
rack The coroIlary 10 an International pro-
-ectorate over private property at sea Is the
limitation Of hostties 10 waters adjacent 10 the
theatre Of var.
The argument in favor Of absolute security
OF Shipping and cargoes is convincing when the
risks Of second naval way and possible conph-
cations with France are considered If any
thing, II is strengthened by the explanations Of
fered by the Russians themselves for the eX-
t1aordinary course OF their admiral He had
been warned that his feet would be attacked
Hv Japanese torpedo boats, and consequently he
fred upon all craft coming near his vessels and
exciting suspicion The sources Of informa-
non received by the Russian government and
communicated 10 the admiral can readily be
oon5ectured. Il is well understood that the
Russian embassies in England and on the Con-
ttnent employ spies and that the Secret Service
4 St Petersburg makes use Of paid agents of
this kind. These spies are most industrious in
time OF war, when their wages and perquisites
are materially increased. Not infrequently
their character and occupation are known. or
upon by acquaintance. who amuse themselves
ny in-enting stories for them. Without doubt
tie manufacture Of canards began as soon as
the Baltic feet was commissioned. and by the
tire the ships were ready 10 sail there was a
large accumulated stock OF tainted disclosures
The admiral and his captains had been warned
70 be on the lookout for torpedo craft among the
traUlers ana at every turn of the coast. and they
were easily convinced that the spies had told
The truth. The fishing feet was bonnbarded and
merchantmen fred upon because the air was
electric with suspicion. Commerce was wan
tenly and needlessly disturbed and life was
inenaced because there had been many ground
less and preposterous inventions Maritime in
Noustry was left al the mercy Of htrelings and
tpies
there we're torpedo boats and submarines
smong the trawlers. as the Russian admiral and
his officers have asserted. there was a practica
Illustration OF the horrors OF modern warfare
and Of the urgent necessity for exempting pr.
Nate property from naval attack The de-
FtrucilVe resources Of torpedo service have been
only partially revealed IN the operations off Port
arthur since submarines Of the best pattern
nave not been used, and the Russians have dis
played little skill in this branch of warfare
" men & war comes on between European navies
loEpeooes win be employed on large scale ir
1l-ack Upon fleets and in coast defence, and theil
cesEucuveness without doubt Will be APPALLING
The Formidable narurc Of tt,s - 49, =