Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-14
THECALCHAS RELEASED
PART OF CARGO CONSIGNED TO
JAPAN DECLARED CoNTRABAND.
Action of the Prize Court at Vladivos-
tok-Three Months Given
for Appeal.

VLADIVOSTOK, September 13 delayed In
transmission. The prize court has decided
to release the British steamer Calchas
captured while bound from Puget Sound
ports to Japan by the Vladivostok squadron
and also the neutral portions OF the vessels
cargo. That part of the cargo consigned to
Japan, consisting of flour, cotton and TIM
ber, is confiscated.
The Calchas will be detained three months
In order to allow its owners time for an
appeal from the prize courts decision.
The Russian naval representative before
the court protested against the release OF
the vessel
Effect Of the Decision.
LONDON, September 14-The Globe this
afternoon says that the decision Of the
Vladivostok prize court to confiscate that
portion Of the cargo of the British steamer
Calchas consisting Of flour. cotton and tim
Der consigned to Japan, If confirmed by the
Russian supreme court amounts to COM
plete ignoring Of the protest lodged by
Great Britain at st. Petersburg against the
inclusion of provisions in the Russian list
Of contraband Of war. The paper adds:
ut has also been stated In behalf of his
majesty's government in the house OF COM
mons that raw cotton would only be re-
garded by Russia as contraband when
destined to make explosives. The manifest
shows that there were thirty-six bales OF
cotton on board the Calchas consigned to
trading companies in Japan. The ship
ment from America also was purely com.
mercial. The decision of the prize court, Il
allowed to pass unchallenged by Great
Britain, amounts to nothing less than 9
prohibition Of commerce between this coun-
try and Japan"
Rests With Admiralty Court.
srr
fact that the Vladivostok prize court has
condemned the portion of the cargo of the
British steamer Calchas, captured by the
Vladivostok squadron while on her way
from Puget Sound ports to Japan, bound
for japanese ports. is natural sequence OF
the Interpretation Of the Russian prize
regulations made by the court In the case
Of the Portland and Asiatic line steame,
Arabia. also seized by the Vladivostok
squadron, and other vessels, and does not
affect the ultimate decision by the admiralty
court, which will put into effect the modi-
fications already decided upon in principle
by the commission here along lines favor
able to the American and British conten-
tions.
The decision of the Russian government
IN regard to contraband of war will prob
ably be communicated to Ambassadors Nc
Cormfck and Harding tomorrow AS an
nounced in the dispatches Of the Associated
Press, 1t Will be favorable to the conten-
ton that foodstuffs are conditional con-
traband, If addressed to an enemy's un-
blockaded ports, where the ships papers
are regular and the goods are consigned
to private persons or firms and not to a
government direct. The American view
regarding some of the other points, how
ever, Is not conceded. For instance, 1t is
believed that Russia will insist on the
contraband character Of railroad material.
Under the application of this decision the
admiralty court here will reverse the de-
cisions of the Vladivostok prize court In the
case Of the Arabia and Calchas,
A special dispatch from Vladivostok SAYS
the Calchas has not yet been released, a
mitch having arisen over the claim of the
judge advocate, Lieutenant Gerve, who
seized the Calchas. he contending that she
Is liable to confiscation for carrying official
correspondence of the enemy The court
overrode this claim on the ground that
the mails to Japanese ports taken off at
Tacoma cannot be called correspondence
relating to military operations. The judge
advocate threatens to refer the case to the
admiralty. and If he does so the Calchas
may be held pending the ultimate decision
Of the admiralty unless her owners deposit
security.