The San Francisco call., 1904-07-28
FREE SHIPS MAKE FREE GOODS.

TINE tendency of modern cvilizatoTl5tS mitigate
the horrors and misfortunes Of wsr and to limit
its destructive effects to field as pos
sble To this end it has to almost be written
international free ships make free goods the
high Belligerents may prey upon the commerce
of each other wherever they find it, but neutral flag
protects cargo. If belligerent wish to destroy
the commercial intercourse of the other it be done
by efficient blockade of seapors of which all the world
must have notice We used the blockade quite effectively
the Confederate seapors during the Civil War and
has been applied instrument of warfare from
time to time since. 1t used with considerable eff
feet bring Venezuela her by the concerted
powers which had interfere in behalf of their ma
tionals 1t is recognized civilized and all
the nations require that shall be actual and merely
constructive.
keeps the martial entirely between the nations
party thereto the high free to neutral
ships Freedom of the has always been insisted
upon by the United States. The Old World had recog-
nzed the right of search and seizure deep water
During the Napoleonc Great Britain claimed this
right and exercised it the injury of merchant
feet and commerce For this fought the war of
1872 The American slogan in that struggle Free
trade and sailors rights This did what after
ward became known "free trade" in economic and
sense 1t meant freedom of the for trade
against the taking of neutral ships prizes. We
contention in battle but strangely enough the treaty
of peace makes reference to the issue that caused
the war Great Britain entered into formal conven-
to give up and search of ships on
the high seas, but she did give up and that subject
there has been amity between the two nations ever
since We followed this up by ridding the Mediter-
of the Algerne corsars by banishng the pirates
of Trpo, and it will be that American influence
solely responsible for the advance made by the world
in respect to freedom of the seas The wisdom of
policy in that respect has become apparent since
the importance to us of the Pacific Ocean disclosed
by the Spanish We the only great commercial
nation with water front that and
vitality concerned in the freedom of its waters
Since the of 1872 Great Britain has sought and
attained primacy in her merchant marine. Her ships
everywhere ahoat and for half century she has
spared pains expense to maintain navy adequate
for the protection of her merchantmen The patriotism
of her people has sustained them all sacrifices neces
sary maintain her power. AS her Indian empire
took form she safeguarded it in every way
For that she fortified Gibraltar and Malta and for that
she bottled the Russian fleets in the Black Sea and
turned the Mediterranean into British lake Later on
she bought the majority of the stock in the Suez canal
giving her short all water India. So strong
has been the British of prmacy of the water from
Gibraltar the Straits Settlements that when Sir Ed
win Arnold his interesting book India Revisited
the title to the chapter descriptive of the voyage from
Liverpool to Bombay was "On the Queens Highway"
He described the from the Mersey to Gibraltar
and thence Alden and thence through the Indian Ocean
British waters the highway of the empire for the use
of her Maesys fleets and the British Sir Ed
win Arnold in this expressed British sentiment and feel
ing. Now that highway is invaded Russia has sent
auxiliary ships of the Black Sea and through the
Dardaneles under merchant flag and has armed them
with artillery to prey upon neutral ships that pass by
the Queens highway" No singing blow was
dealt British pride nor since the days of Captain
Kidd, dangerous all commerce. 1t is
obviously intended by Russia specifically aront Great
Britain for French ships plying to the Indo Chinese pos
sessions of France have been disturbed while Brit
ish ships flying the flag of the line which Sir
Edwin Arnold sailed the Queens highway" have been
made prizes their prisoners and their passengers
subjected brutality and humiliation. We fought Eng
land for less in 1872. What will she do? Her
people will bear the exactons necessary keep up
navy unless they results, and it ustifable Eng
sh opinion that the navy is for just such occasions as
this. Russia has announced that her course in the
Pacific will be the she has followed in the Red
Sea. This that she proposes to pirate the COM
merce Britain and the United States and forbid
flag the freedom of the high If this be at
tempted American will hesitate in demanding repara-
ton 1t is the issue fought for in 1872 when we
were young and weak nation Now strong ex-
perienced and armed. The Pacific is Uncle Sans high
way and he proposes travel his road at will
"
The Board of Supervisors has under consideration a
measure designed correct of the most annoying
evils that attend streetcar this city It s in