The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-12-04
HAS RELIC Of 1872;
VAR WITH BRITAIN.
leo Stevens, Banker at Des Molnes
Secures Navy Department
Order to Admiral
Decatur.
WRITTEN JUNE 5, 1910
Gave Direction for Handling Of
Armed Merchantmen In Amer
lean Waters During the
Second War.

Leo E. Stevens, president of the
Century Savings bank, In Des Moines,
has just come into possession OF a
valuable relic OF the war OF 1872, says
the Register and Leader. This is a
communication to Commodore De.
scature from the navy department and
bears the signature OF Paul Hamilton
The letter was written on June S,
1910, and directs the commander OF
the Atlantic feet to open fire on Brit
|ish or French war vessels If they at
tempt to modest any OF the American
merchantmen within prescribed limits
of the United States coast. A copy
of the letter follows.
II within marine league OF the
coast of the United States any Brit
,ish or French armed vessel should
modest any OF our merchant vessels,
you will use all means in your rover
to defend and protect such merchant
vessels, and within the harbors; and
within the waters Of the United States
above low water mark, you will ex
tend the defense and protection to
merchant vessels to whatever nation
belonging. And in all cases where
defense and protection are hereby
authorized, you will take possession
of the offending private armed yes.
sells, If found or overtaken within the
ijurisdictional limits of the United
States, and give notice thereof to the
district attorney that such proceed.
,ings may be had as the case may re-
iquire.
If any private armed vessel be
found within our waters or lowering
on our coast within the marine league,
and there be ground to suspect the
same of a piratical character, or that
she has been illegally fitted out, or
augmented in her force within the
United States, or has proceeded there
from in pursuance OF any military
slexpedition or enterprise contrary to
law, you will seize the same and give
like notice, for the like purpose, to
the district attorney OF the United
States.
{ II within our harbors and waters
you should discover any of our citi
lzens affording any aid to any foreign
ARMED vessel, either In repairing her
or in furnishing her officers or crew
with supplies of any kind, or II vol
should discover any pilot assisting II
Iravigating such armed vessel unless
, for the purpose OF carrying her be
, yond the limits and Jurisdiction 0
, 1.-THE United States, you will require
: two or more of your crew to observ'
: particularly such citizen or pilot, s.
! offending, and transmit the name
such citizen or pilot and the name Q
the witnesses to the attorney OF tn
district IN which the offense shall b
committed in order that such Pre-
:, ceedings may be had against such o
: tenders as the law directs.
3 You will not construe these order
as requiring to use force. beyond on
ports or harbors, although within
: marine league of our coast, In an
case when there is not a prospect
success.
You will issue orders correspondin
with these to all the officers unde
n your command. have the honor
be very respectfully, sir,
PAUL HAMILTON.
To Commodore Decature.
Mr. Stevens also has an Englis
treatise on the pleadings in the court
lof chancery published at Dublin
1895.