The San Francisco call., 1904-07-19
Cars Warships Continue to
Stop and Search Neu-
tral Vessels.
Britain May Follow Lead
of Germany in Demand
ing Satisfaction.

on the North German Lloyd steamship
Prince Heinrich on July Is. The Smo-
lensk had confiscated two bags of the
Prinz Heinrich's mail destined for
Nagasaki.
LONDON, July 1S.-Earl Percy, I'm
der Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in
the House Of Commons to-day, asked
General Laurie conservative and
Unionist) to postpone until Thursday
a question which Laurie proposed to
ask anent the doing of the Russian
volunteer fleet steamship ST. Peters
burg in the Red Sea, as the Govern
ment's information was still incom-
plete. Earl Percy further said that the
question was of the utmost Importance
and was engaging the earnest atten-
ton of the Government.
The Daily Nails correspondent at
Alden says that the British steamships
Woodcock and Dalmatia were held UP
by the Russians in the Red Sea and
detained for three hours.
The correspondent says the captain
of the Russian volunteer fleet steam
ship st. Petersburg has notified the
British residents at Alden to wire the
British Consuls at Suez and Port Said
that he would seize any British
steamers bound for the Far East If
the contents of their packages were
not clearly shown on their manifests,
according to international law.
The Daily Nails ST. Petersburg
correspondent says that two more
steamships of the Russian volunteer
fleet now at Odessa have received con-
fidential orders to leave this week for
the Red Sea to seize British vessels
which are alleged to be carrying con-
traband of war.
The Standards Toxic correspondent,
cabling under date of July IS, says:
1.-The passage of the Dardanelles by
steamships of the Russian volunteer
fleet attracts increased attention here.
The Japanese press continues to dis
credit the supposition that Russia real
ly intends to send naval reinforcements
to the Far East.
General joy was caused by the news
of the repulse to the Russians at Mo-
tien Pass. The casualties there have
not been reported, but it is supposed
they were heavy."rae .oe
The Standards Odessa correspondent,
from st. Petersburg, says:
1.-TWO more steamers of the volun-
teer feet left here July IS for Sebasto-
pol, whence, after coaling and arm
ing, it is presumed they will proceed
to the Red Sea-"
RUSSIA FINDS A LOOPHOLE.
ST. PETERSBURG, July 1S-Russia
does not foresee international compli-
cations on account of the passage Of
the volunteer fleet steamships through
the Dardanelles and their subsequent
conversion into war cruisers. The
trainers of the treaty of Paris, in seek
ing to prevent the insress and egress
of warships, evidently did not expect
the present contingency.
1.-The st. Petersburg and Smolensk
did not pass the Dardanelles as war
ships, but as merchantmen said an
official of the Foreign Office. Under
the treaty of Paris there is no question
of the right of ships to go out as mer-
chantmen. With their subsequent con-
version into warships Turkey has moth
ing to do. The treaty is silent on the
subject"
The precedents allowing unarmed
Russian warships to pass the Dardan-
elles without protest from the parties
to the treaty of Paris are considered
valuable now.
While the diplomatists have not
questioned the right of Russia to seize
contraband of war, the actual confisca-
ton of mails supplies a different ques-
tion and Germany, both at Berlin and
in ST. Petersburg, is investigating the
circumstances in order to ascertain
whether the Russian commander in
this case exceeded his orders
The Admiralty has received reports
of the seizure of the Peninsular and
Oriental Companys steamer Malacca
on the Red Sea by the Russian volun-
teer fleet steamship st. Petersburg and
the stopping of the North German
Lloyd steamship Prinz Heinrich by the
Smolensk, but nothing in regard to the
stopping Of the British steamship Wal
para by the st. Petersburg. The Ma
lacca had war munitions on board.
GERMANY ENTERS A PROTEST.
BERLIN, July 18-The German Gov
ernment has taken a prompt and firm
stand in regard to the seizure Of the
malls of the North German Lloyd
steamer Prinz Heinrich, which arrived
at Alden on July 16 from Hamburg and
Southampton for Yokohama, by the
Russian volunteer fleet steamship
Smolensk on July Is. 1t has entered
a protest against the carrying off Of
the mails and asked for a disavowa
of the Smolensks action and the re-
turn Of the captured mail sacks.
The German Government, the For.
eign Office says. recognizes the right
to search mails when on board the
vessel itself, but claims the Smolensl
had no right to take off mails in bull
from the vessel. The further argu
ment is advanced that the right o.
search can be exercised only by a war
ship, whereas the Smolensk traverseC
the Dardanelles only recently fyinf
the Russion commercial flag and no
assuming the character Of warship
The German Government has not ta
ken a position on this last point, bu
leaves it for future discussion and set
tlement. No answer has yet been re
ceived from Russia.
RTrcSIA,c DOcITTON AxxyHxVnrR Rlon