Arizona republican., 1904-08-26
Premier BaIfOur Talks to a Commercial Committee
DOUBLE SIDED QUESTION
Great Britain May Some Time Be Put Into the Position of Russia and Claim Belligerent Rights-nore In- volved Than Mere Commerce.

London, Aug. 25.-Premier Balfour
 announced this evening that the Bri-
 tish government had ordered two crui-
 sers from the squadron at'the Cape Of
 Good Hope to locate The Russian volun- teer steamers Smolensk and St. Pe-
 tersburg and convey to them the or dcrs of the Russian government that
 they must not further 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 deputltion of the
 London chamber of commerce. The deputatiOn was appointed at meeting
 held earlier in the day by the China
 and East India section of the cham
 Der, which was attended by represent ative ship owners interested in the
 trade in the far east and at which the following resolution was passed: This
 meeting of members of the London chamber of commerce concerned Tn
 trade in the far east views with grave apprehension the continued uncertain ty of the position of British trade and shipping with regurd to what consti- tuttS CO4Lol sAydilil OI NdF Us lllLcIDIeL- cd by the Russian government. The meeting trusts that his majesty's gov ernment will take such immediate steps as will afford all reasonable pro lection to British shipping and to en- sure to il the same degree of i'm munity from vexatious stOppages and examinations as is apparently enjoyed by the shipping of other nationaIities." At the same time the meeting pre- pared q letter addressed to Lord Lansdowne in which it stated that the continuance Of the present system was having a disastrous effect on shipping and was causing irreparable damage 10 the Whole course of trade with Ja- ran and the far east. The letter fur ther said that the commercial com munity WOaid welcome any measures however stringent. thlt might be nee cssaTy to place British commerce on 1 the same footing with that of other -belligerent countries in the treat ment of so called contraband of war. Prior to receiving the deputatiOn MT Balfour during the day had -Sbeen busily engaged in connection with the [ question which had been raised with regard to Russian treatment of Bri- tish shipping. After giving a number of Driavte interviews the premier held
 an important meeting at the foreign i office 10 which representatives of the intelligence department of the war Of | flee were summoned.
 The premier afterward received the l deputation from the chamber of com 1 merce which was headed by Wn. Kes-
 wick, NJ. P, member of the firm Of
 Jardine and company Chinese mer- chants and also members of the legis-
 lative council of Hong Kong, who stated the object the deputation had in view and presented the resolution
 and letter.
 1 MT. Balfour said that before. making | a general statement he desired to hear | evidence tending to show preferential | treatment by Russia, which was the
 most important phase of the situation and concerning which the government | had TO conclusive information and to learn of any concrete examples of dif- ferential treatment by Russian officers and Russian prize courts, which, he | said, would be carefully considered. The members of the deputation quot | ed the cases of the Portland and Asia | tic line steamer Arabia and the British | steamer Calchas. The former was aI- | lowed to proceed, while the latter was
 still at Vladivostok, and the members ] pointed out that both cases were equal
 so far as the nature of the cargoes ! were concerned. Cases of the Penin-
 sular and Oriental company's steam | CT Malacca and the Hamburg American l liner Scandia were also quoted Each | of these vessels had ammunition on | board, but the Scandia was allowed to | proceed.
 | The deputation next referred to the | sinking of the British steamer Knight