Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-21
NATIONS VII! CONFER
Ten Powers to Be Represented
in Meeting to Make Naval
War Rules
PRIZE COURT LAWS BOTHER
PRIZE COURT LAWS. BOTHER
America, Great Britain and Japan
Practically Agreed on Some Points
Question of contraband Goods and
Seizure of Neutral and Hospital
Ships to Be Determined.

0nlpS 10 BE determined,
London, Dec. 21.-America, Great
Britain, and Japan will support prac-
ticaly the same ideas for the code of
laws for the international prize court
governing the conduct of warfare on
the high seas, especially as to non
combatant vessels. Ten powers will be
represented at the congress which is
to decide these laws. and their en-
forcement will be done by the court
to be appointed by The Hague tribunal.
1t is hoped that the powers may be
able to devise a system of rules where
by such deplorable incidents as the fir
ing upon the English fishing vessels by
Russian fleet during the Russo Japan
csc war may be avoided in the future.
America, Great Britain, and Japan
seek to insert paragraph in the rules
especially declaring coastwise fishing
vessels exempt from seizure or hostile
action.
The three nations heretofore named
differ on some of the minor parts of
the rules, but the greatest difficulty, 1t
| is expected, will be to persuade Ger
many and Russia to accept some OF the
important proposals.
Americas Views on Needed Laws.
The American views include the fol-
lowing suggestions:
A neutral ship found within the linn
it's of a belligerent power may be
seized destroyed or used for warlike
Unidentified.
In cases where the enemy has not
observed the usages of war and the
delinquent cannot be captured there
may be recourse to reprisals, but al
ways in accordance with the dictates
of humanity.
The reprisals should not exceed in
severity the offense committed and
should not be repeated after reparation
has been made for the injury COM
planned of.
All ships in the public service of the
enemy are subject to capture, except
those employed in purely charitable or
scientific work, voyages of discovery
and as hospital ships.
All private vessels belonging to the
enemy except bona tide coastal fishing
boats are subject to capture unless e&-
empt under treaty. In case of military
and other needs private ships of the
enemy can be destroyed or retained for
service of the government.
:,, 1,o1 az
military service of the enemy, or
placed under control of the enemy for
| naval or military service. are subject
to capture and destruction.
Warships of the United States of
America seek asylum during war in a
neutral port subject to the limitations
prescribed by the port authorities.
Such ships must conform to the reg
ulation of the port authorities regard
ing length of stay and interval to be
observed before going to sea in pur-
suit of any enemy or after departure
of enemy's ship.
A neutral ship carrying an enen1y's
dispatches is subject to seizure. Mai
steamers under a neutral flag. carrying
said dispatches, whether as part of gen
eral mail or separately for convenient
reasons and without special contention
of remuneration, are not subject tc
seizure and should not be detained un-
| less there is we'll grounded cause tc
suspect a violation of the laws of war
Ruling on Hospital Ships.
In the section relating to the exem-
ton from capture of hospital ships, II
is suggested that such ships should
give succor and assistance to the
wounded, sick, and shipwrecked of the
belligerents without distinction of ma
tionalty. Beliigerents should have the
right to control the movements of hos
pital ships. They could refuse their
help, order them away in any direction
wished, put commissioner aboard and
even datain the ships if the gravity OF
the situation requires it.
Merchant ships, yachts, or neutral
vessels carrying or picking up bellig-
erent wounded, sick, or shipwrecked
should not be captured on account OF
such acts, but should still be subject
to capture for any violations of neu-
trality they may have committed. Mer-
chant ships under escort of warships
of their own nationality should be eX-
empt from the right of search on proper
assurances being given by the COM
mander of the convoy.
The American views also contain
proposals as to contraband and the
methods Of blockading which are sim
liar to those put forward by Great
Britain in a more extensive manner
Wants of Great Britain.
The British case follows pm decisions
of British prize courts and describes
contraband as neutral property on
board ship on the high seas, or in the
territorial waters of either belligerent
which is capable of being used to assist
in and on the way to assist In naval
or military operations.
The right to search merchant ship