The daily sentinel., 1914-04-29
THE LAW OF REPRISAL
AND WHAT IT MEANS;
RECALL NOTED REPRiSALS

y The taking OF Vera Cruz was y
y an act OF reprisal and not an .
y act OF war. o
. There are certain forcible y
= measures of redress involving =
b the use OF the army and navy of =
o our government against another o
y government. which Just fall .
. short OF war. But the border =
v line between acts of war and .
. those acts which fall short of o
. war is we'll defined .
. 9 . 80 90 o = y
From the tIale Of Gratius to the
present day the ~reat writer's on in
ter-national law have concurred in
the view that those acts of redress
which fall short of war include re-
prisals, retortion. Pacific blockade
and embargo.
It was customary in Greece for the
people to signaliZe the festival OF
Easter by burning an effigy Of Ju-
das Iscarlot. but out OF regard for
Charles de RothschiId, who was at
Athens in April, 1S47. the police
we're ordered to prevent this popular
ceremony In that year.
The mob. attributing this action of
the Athenian authorities to the influ-
ence of the Jews, was highly insens-
ed against the sect, and proceeded to
attack and plunder the house Pacifi-
co, which happened TO stand near the
place where the effigy was wont to
be burned, and TO administer the
greatest i'll treatment to Pacifico and
the members Of his family.
The Greek government ignored the
deupnds Of Pacifico for redress, and
was reminded by the British minister
Of tho facts In the case. Thereupon,
the government of Greece, after nine
months delay. suggested that Pacifi-
co should collect his damages through
the ordinary courts from persons who
took part in tho riots
The British government, thereup-
on, in 1S49, delivered an utimatum
to Greece.
Retortion is the term applied to
such acts Of retaliation as are similar
to those which originally gave Of
fense.
The terms retortion and reprisal
are, however often used interchange
ably although, strictly. retortion is
retaliation in kind while reprlsal Is
the general term for such acts an Of
Tended state may take to bring the
ulteuueT TO Terms.
To Justify reprisals some specific
wrong must have been committed
and the seizures must be by way of
compensation, that is. as a means of
satisfaction without resort to actual
war. In Shows cases on internation-
al law the case of Don Pacifico is
cited as one Of the leading cases or
precedents on reprisals. David Pa
ftf
but In lS47 became n resident OF
Athens. He was n British subject
and had a British passport. demand
ing immediate payment to Paeifico of
his claim for damages. The de-
mands of the ultimatum were reject
ed and an embargo was immediately
enforced, several Greek ships of war
and merchant vessels being seized
and detained in Pirarus.
shortly afterward in 1850. the in
demnity demanded by Paclfico was
paid and the embargo raised. Snow
also advised us that "the favorite
fern OF reprisal in coercing weaker
states has been by what are called
pacific blockades. Thus, in 1927
the coast of Greece was blocka9ed hy
the English, French and Russian
squadrons, New Granada by England
In 1861. Mexico by France in 1S3s.
In like manner, without a declnra-
tion of war, France blockaded the isl
and of Formosa and in 1893 the coast
of Siam.
The arrest of bluejackets in the
launch carrying the United states
flag while in Tampico harbor was an
arrest OF American citizens on terri
tory OF the United States az a vas-
sci flying the United States flag.
even while in foreign port. is CON
sidered as but detached portion of
.he territory belonging to the coun-
try whose flag it carries. In view
OF the definitions an dprecedents cit1
ed above 1t would seem that the es-
tablishment of blockade of the Mex
lean ports and the taking of the Gus
tens houses are but acts of reprisal
and fall short of acts of war-Mar-
tin II. Kennedy, in Denver News.
Widely Used.
IN MI hnp 1nt,