The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-03-31
.i||I'i RUSSIA. GIVES. DARE
Neutral Town of Niuchwang
Placed Under Martial Law.
POWERSARE N0NPLUSSED
An Arbitrary Act that May Cause Sc
rious Complications as Side
Issue to Conflict in the
Far East.

An Associated Press dispatch from
Niuchwang, Manchuriau, says: The
civil administration Sunday evening
notified all the foreign consuls and
residents OF Viceroy Alexieff's order
placing the city and port Of Nieu-
chwang under martial law, explaining
that it had been so ordered for the
purpose Of safeguarding the CONNER
cial interests Of the port.
Pending the publication Of the full
text Of Viceroy Alexief's order, the
following regulations are ordered to be
Immediately operative:
Il. The entire territory Of the city
and port, also all persons, without d:s-
tinction Of Jurisdiction and nationality,
| resident, in said territory, are subject
ed to special regulations regarding a
state of war.
"2. All travellers arriving by sea and
all cargoes entering port are to be IN.
spected both by naval officers and GUS
toms. officials.
"3. The importation of arms and am
munition is forbidden.
az The expectation of contraband Of
war is forbidden.
IS. Persons desiring to export con-
traband goods are required TO deposit
a sum equivalent to the value Of the
cargo This deposit is to serve as a
guarantee that the cargo is not to be
| forwarded from neutral ports either to
Japan or Korea.
"6. The functions of the light ship
| and harbor guides in the river Lao
are suspended. d.
"7 Contraband of war is to consist
of such articles as are mentioned in
the decree issued by the czar Febru.
ary %, defining contraband of war"
A list of contraband goods then fol-
| lows This list includes beans and
bean cakes. and other food stuffs.
The interference with this traffic here,
together with the operation Of article
5, referred to above, will stop Niu-
chwang's trade.
Five ships which arrived outside
Monday and numerous others due will
be unable to ship cargoes.
The opinion of leading foreign resi-
| dents and officials is that although the
rights Of neutrals remain unaltered by
treaty, Russia assumes the power to
annul these rights, also consular ju-
risdiction and ex-territoriality, render
| ing the position of foreign consuls un'
| tenable.
In some quarters the order is re-
garded as an apparent challenge to
neutral powers, especially to China
on account of the appropriation Of her
territory and that it renders the Uni.
ted States gunboat Helena and the
British cruiser Espiegle liable to an
order to leave port.
The consuls will await instructions
from their respective governments,
| inasmuch as there is no law to guide
the consuls' actions. The property
and trade interests of the foreign resi-
dents are prepared to be abandond.
The foreign consuls held confer
ence with the civil administration
Monday. The latter informed them
that the fun Intention Of Russia's or
! der Of Sunday was to proclaim martial
law and also to annui consular juris.
| diction, and that the same was already
annulled.
The other consuls were unable to
comprehend Russia's intention.
The administrator agrees with the
consuls to suspend a rigid enforce.
ment Of said order until the foreign
governments act, in order to lessen
the complications.
The Americans in Niuchwang call
attention to the apparent defeat of
American aims regarding the placing
of consuls in Manchuria by the execu-
tion of Russia's order.
Monday morning American and Brit
ish flags were removed by the Russian
military from the property Of citizens
of American or British nationality.