Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-08-29
MUST BE STOPPED
BRITISH CRUISERS SENT TO NO
TIFY VOLUNTEER FLEET.
Action Taken by Great Britain at
the Request of the Russian
GOvernment-.-Ship May Have
Failed to Receive Instructions
Sent by Gar.

London, Aug. 27.-Premier Balfour
announces that the British government
has ordered two cruisers from the
squadron at the Cape of Good Hope to
locate the Russian volunteer fleet
steamers Smolensk and st. Petersburg
and convey to them the orders of the
Russian government that they must
not further modest or interfere with
neutral shipping. The premier stated
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 from the
London chamber of commerce, appoint
ed at meeting at which the following
resolution was passed:
This meeting of members of the
chamber of commerce concerned i'll
the trade with the Far East view with
grave apprehension the continued I'M
certainty of the position OF British
trade and Shipping with regard to what
constitutes contra band of war as inter
preted 10y the Russian government.
The meeting trusts that his majesty's
government will take such immediate
steps as will afford all reasonable pro-
lection to British shipping and to en-
sure it the same degree of immunity
from veXatlous stoppages and exami
nations as is apparently enjoyed by the
shipping of other nationalities.
Mr.. Balfour Considers Question.
Prior to receiving the delegation,
Mr.. Balfour during the day had been
busily engaged in connection with the
question which had been raised in re-
gard to Russian treatment of British
shipping.
After giving number of private in
terviews, the premier held an import
ant meeting at the foreign Office. at
which representatives of the intelli-
gence department of the war office,
the admiralty, the foreign officers and
the board of trade We're summoned.
The premier afterwald received the
delegation from the chamber of COM
merce.
Mr.. Balfour said that before max
ing general statement he desired to
hear evidence tending to show prefer
entail treatment by Russia, which was
most important phase of the situa-
ton and concerning which the govern
ment had no conclusive information,
and to learn of any concrete examples
of differential treatment by Russian
officers and Russian prize courts,
which, he said, would be carefully
considered.
May Not Have Been Notified.
Replying to a deputaiton of the East
India trade section of the London
chamber of commerce in the evening,
Premier Balfour said he had been in
formed by Ambassador Benckendorff
that the Russian government was not
certain that the Smolensk had received
orders in accordance with the recent
agreement concerning treatment of
neutral ships. Therefore, in accord
ance with the suggestion of the British
government, the Russian government
had authorized Great Britain to assist
in locating and notifying the cruisers.
Mr.. Baltour said he hoped thereaf-
ter that they might really consider the
episode with the volunteer fleet as en-.
tirely closed. He also said that if the
vO unteer fleet should make any fur
Their captures, which he did not think
they would, such captures would not
be recognized either by Great Britain
or Russia.
"a n Lon Yslyr ~ A..
Russians differentiated between Brit
ish and other foreign ships to the dis
advantage of Geat Britain, but if this
was shown to be the case it would be
a most serious situation. Regarding
contraband of war, Mr.. Balfour said
it was difficult to define clearly what
was contraband of war; but the prin-
ciple which his majesty's government
had laid down was that warlike stores
carried to IA belligerent, coal shipped
for the purpose of aiding the TROOPS.
were all contraband of war. but his
maJesty's government had not accent
ed the doctrine laid down with some
of the Russian notifications to the
effect that coal, foodstuffs, cotton and
many other things We're absolutely
contra band, and that the fact that
they were found on board a ship iusti-
fled seizure of the goods, and in GER
tain cases of the vessel The case had
been put most clearly by Lord Lans-
downe to the Russian government. and
from the position taken tire was no
possibility of his majesty's govern ment
receding.
TO BE DISM