Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-26

merce on the same footing with that of
other non belligerent countries in the treat
ment of "so-called, contra band of war
Prior to receiving theeIleputation Mr. Bal
four. held an importantly meeting at the for
eign office to which Representatives of the
intelligence departmentsIDf the war office,
the admiralty, the, foreign office and the
board of trade were summoned The depu-
tation from the chamber of commerce was
headed by William .keswick NJ P, a mem
Der of Jardne & Co.. China merchants. and
also member Of $he legislative council OF
Hong Kong, who stated the object of the
deputation and presented the resolution and
the letters, n
Preferential Treatment.
Mr. Balfour said that before making a
general statmnt hetdesrsd to hear evidence
tending to shows preferential trea temnt
by Russia. which was most important
phase Of the .situa ton and concerning which
the government had no Conclusive insnrma-
ton. and to learn of any concrete exam
pies of differeMial treatment by Russian
officers and Russian prize courts. which,
he said. would be carefully considered
Members of the deputation quoted the
cases of the Portland and Asiatic line
steamship Arabia and the British steam
ship Calchas. The former vessel was al
lowed to proceed, while the latter was still
at Nladivostok, and the members pointed
out that both cases were equal SO far as
the nature of the cargoeS was concerned
The cases of the Peninsular and Oriental
company's steamer Malacca and the Ham
burg-American line steamship Scandal were
also quoted. Each of these vessels had am
nunition on board, but the Scandal was al
lowed to proceed.
The deputation next referred to the sink
ing OF the British steamer Knight Com
mander and the German steamer Thea nv
the Vladivostok squadron. and pointed out
that compensation had been paid in the
case of the Thea, while it had not been even
promised in that of the knight Commander.
Members of the zldeputation asao stated
that 1t was notorious that shipments of
contraband of war had been made from
Antwerp and Hamburg while insurance
rates from those and from French ports
We're much lower than from English ports.
lings. .i.
Mr.. Balfour asked if the proportion of
Brltlsh shipping to the far east was 80 per
cent. and member of the deputation re-
plled that 1t was about 80 per cent.
Special Difficulties Presented.
The premier then began his reply He
SAID that the questions must be considered
separately and in the light of different con-
ditions. In the first place, special difficulties
had arisen between Great Britain and Rus
sla owing to the captures made by the vol
unteer fleet steamers. which had passed
the Dardanelles in the character OF vessels
otner tnan war vessels, as all were aware
ms leo TO an acute controversy and the
Russian government gave assurances. with
out making statement on the question of
the principle involved, that vessels Of this
fleet would not make further captures
1hen' when the Smolensk stopped another
BRITISH vessel, the Comedian, painful i'm
preston was created, and the government
MADE urgent inquiries as to how this could
De reconciied with former assurances.
fremler Balfour said that he had been in
A hn.
the RUSSIAN government was not certain
that the Smolensk had received orders in
accordance with the recent agreement con-
corning the treatment OF neutral ships.
ton of the British government, the Rus
sian government had authorized Great
britain 10 assist in finding and informing
the cruisers ~
the British government had ordered two
cruisers from the Cape Of Good Hope to
proceed Immediately and search for and
find the Smolensk and her consort and con-
Vey to them the INSTRUCTIONS from the Rus
sian government to desist from further in
reference with neutral commerce.
Mr. Balfour said that he hoped, there
1ore' they might really consider the cpl
sodes connected with. THE volunteer fleet as
now entirely ended a..
Captures Would Not Be Recognized.
Most assuredl,sr. said the premier.
should the volunteer rfleet steamers at
tempt further capIureA which 1 do not
think they will, no. suchn captures would be
recognized by us arT:byat the Russian gov
eminent" -,
Ihis, however, obviously was only part
of large problem whsch the position of
belligerency raised It was not clearly
proved that the Russians differentiated be-
tween British and other foreign ships to
the disadvantage of Great Britain; but If
This We're shown to be the case 1t would be
most serious situation. The deputation
might be sure that the declaration on the
subject In the kings speech was no mere
vague language, but that the British gov
ernmeht meant exactly what 1t SAID, ana
that the rights of the great shipping trade
OF Great Britain would not be ignored by
the BRUSH government. or any government
70 Wnich British interests were conhded
Regarding contraband of war, Mr.. Bal
TOUR SAID that the case had been put most
clearly by Lord Lansdowne to the Russian
government, and from the position taken
there was no possibility of his majestys
government recedng.
MT. Baifour then made his statement
aoout the possibility of Great Britain be-