The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-21
NEUTRALITY LAWS DEFINED IN MEMORANDUM ISSUED BY
 THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Washington, September Follow Ameri- can officials shall deal with armed ves- sells United States ports and merchant ships suspected of carrying supplies to belligerent war vessels off the coast was set forth in memoranda issusd tonight by the state department with the ap- proval of President Wilson Sir Cecil Spring-Rice. the British ambassador at De department neutrality questions, but
 was made plain that tonight's action
 not the result of any agreement on
 kbject.
 The memoranda follows:
 "A. A merchant vessel of belligerent nationality may carry armament and am- munition for the sole purpose of defense without acquiring character of a ship of war.
 B. The presence of armament or ann intuition on board merchant vessels creates a presumption that the arma- ment is for offensive purposes, but the agents may overcome this presumption by evidence showing that the vessel car
 
 ''C. Evidence necessary to establish the fact that armament is solely for defense and will not be used extensively, whether the armament be mounted or slowed be- low. must be presented in each case in dependently at an official investigation The result of the investigation much show conclusively that the armament is not intended for, and will not be used in, offensive operations"
 What Is Evidence
 Indications that the armament will not be used offensively are:
 'l. That the calibre of the guns does not exceed six inches.
 ''2 That the guns and small arms car ried are few in number
 ''S That no guns are mounted on the forward part of the vessel
 "A That the quantity of ammunition carried is small.
 ''5. That the vessel is manned by it's usual crew, and the officers are the same as those on board before war was declared.
 '6. That the vessel intends to and actu- ally does clear for a port lying in its usual trade route or a port indicating Its purpose to continue in the same trade it was engaged in before war was declared. T. That the vessel takes on board fuel and supplies sufficiently only to carry it to it's port of destination, or the same quantity substantially which it has been accustomed to take for a voyage before war was declared.
 'S. That the cargo of the vessel consists of articles of commerce unsuted for the use of a ship of war in operations against an enemy.
 '9. That the vessel carries passengers who are as whole are unritted to enter the military or the naval service of the belligerent whose flag the vessel flies or of any of it's allies, and particularly if the passenger list contains women and children.
 "(b) That the speed of the ship is slow.
 Authorities to Investigate
 'td) Port authorities on the arrival in a port of the United States of an armed vessel of beligerent nationality, claiming to be d merchant vessel should lmmedi- ately investigate and report to Washing ton on the foregoing indications as to the intended use of the armament that 1t may be determined whether the evidence is sufficient to remove the presumption that the vessel is and should be treated as a ship of war. Clearance will not be granted until authorized from Wash ington and the master will be so informed upon arrival.
 ..(e) The conversion of merchant yes- sel into ship of war is a question of fact which is to be established by direct or circumstantial evidence of the inten- ton to use the vessel as q ship of war IL. .l. tod .f psat+ ryjng supplies to beligerent warships, "1. A base of operation of the belligerent warships is presumed when fuel and other supplies are furnished at an American port to such warships more than once within three months since the war began, or during the period of the war. either directly or by means of naval tenders or the belligerent or by means of merchant vessels of the belligerent or neutral na- tionality acting as tenders.
 Rumor Not Sufficient
 ''2 common rumor or suspicion. that a merchant vessel laden with fuel or ether naval supplies intends to deliver it's cargo to belligerent warshp on the high seas if unsupported by direct or cir cumstantial evidence imports no duty of a neutral government to detain such merchant vessel even for the purpose of Investigating the rumor or suspicion un- less it is known that the vessel previ- ously had been engaged in furnishing sup plies to a belligerent warship.
 "a. Circumstantial evidence, supporting d rumor or suspicion that merchant ves- sel intends to furnish beiligerent war ship with fuel or other supplies on the high seas, is sufficient to warrant deten- tion of the vessel until its intention can be investigated in the following cases:
 '(a) When belligerent warship Is known to be off the port at which the merchant vessel is taking on cargo, suited for naval supplies or when there is Il strong presumption that the warshlp is off the port;
 "(b) When the merchant vessel is of the nationality of belligerent whose warship is known to be off the coast;
 "(c) When a merchant vessel which on a previous voyage between ports of the United States and ports of other neutrai states has failed to have on board at the port of arrival a cargo consistsing of