Evening star., 1914-09-21
NEUTRALITY RULES
ARE MADE PUBLIC
Regulations Deal With Armed
Vessels and Suspected
Merchant Ships.
MAY CARRY GUNS FOR
DEFENSIVE PURPOSES
Repeated Loading of Naval Supplies
Will Cause Steamers to Be
Closely Watched.

With the approval of the President,
the State Department has announced
regulations regarding how American
officials shall deal with armed vessels
Visiting ports of the United States and
merchant vessels suspected OF carrying
supplies to belIigerent ships off the
coast
| 1t was made clear that this memoran-
dunn was not the result of any agree
| ment with Great Britain or any other
ibelligerent nation. although SIT Cecil
Spring Rice. the British ambassador.
| has had MANY conferences with Off
ciaIs of the State Department regard
ing neutrality questions
The memorandum follows:
Status of Armed Merchant Vessels.
"a. 4 merchant vessel of belliserent
nationality may carry an armament ana
ammunition for the sole purpose OF de-
lfense without acquiring the character
of a ship of war.
"B The presence of an armament
and ammunition on board merchant
vessel creates a presumption that the
armament is for offensive purposes, but
1.-THE owners or agents may overcome
this presumption by evidence showing
that the vessel carries dlIndHhehI SUIT
)ly for defense.
&C. Evidence necessary to estabi1sh
the fact that the armament is solely
for defense and will not be used Of
fensively, whether the armament be
mounted or slowed below. must be pre-
sented in each case Independently at
an official investigation. The result OF
the investigation must show conclus-
lively that the armament is not INTENDED
for, and will not be used in, offensive
operations.
Inoffensive Indications.
indications that the armament will
not be used extensively are:
"1-That the caliber of the guns car
ried does not exceed six inches
"2-That the guns and small arms
carried are few in number.
"3-That no guns are mounted on the
forward part of the vessel.
"4-That the quantity or Ammunition
carried is small.
"5-That the vessel is manned by its
usual crew, and the officers are tne
same as those on board before war
was declared.
"6-That the vessel intends to and
actually does clear for a port lying IN
it's usual trade route. or port IN ~.
dicating it's purpose to continue IN tns
same trade in which IT was ehsaeeo
before war was declared
"7-That the vessel takes on boaro
fuel and supplies sufficient only ~
carry it to its port of destlnatlol. ~
the same quantity substantially winch
it has been accustomed TO .an ''
VOYAGE before war was declareu.
"sSThat the cargo of the Vessel coh
sists of articles of commerce uhsulsoo
for the use of u ship OF "ai III op
tions against an enemy. ,.An
"9-That the vessel carries -
Who are. as whole. unhtteo 70
snter the military or naval serNios
tha henieereut whose nag the .t
f,ies. or any OF its allies. ana pn,udes
larly if the passenger h
women and children. =. -lcu
That the speed of the ship is sio"
Must Be Investigated.
..n--port authorities. on the ARRIVAL
{, nort of the United States OF an
ornoed vessel of belligerent hatlonai.s
o,ainoip, 10 be a merchant vessel shouiu
tnnediate.ly investigate and report u
u.sbinpton on the foregoing lhoica-
lions as to the intended use or me
armament i'll order that II may We
termined whether the eNluenSs hat
Gent to remove the presumption 'Has a.
tbe vessel and should be tIeateu ss
a shin OF war Clearance VIII h1t ue
granted until authorized from W asnlns
ton, and the master Will oe ~
upon arrival. ,,,aroh,nt ves
SO, into a ship of war is question
Of fact which is to be stabishe9 ps
direct or circumstantlai eFldeice ,,; u, ~
tantion to use the vessel as snip oi
Suspected Merchant Vessels.
Merchant vessels suspected of carry
ing supplies to belligerent warships:
IA base of operations for belliger-
ent warshps presumed when fuel or
other supplies are furnished at an Amer
lean port to such wsrships more than once
once within three months since the war
or during the period of the war. either
directly or by means OF naval tenders
of the belligerent or by means OF mer,
chant vessels of belligerent or neutral
nationality acting as tenders.
"a common rumor or suspicion that
a merchant vessel laden with fuel or
other naval supplies intends to deliver
the high seas, when unsupported by di-
rect or circumstantial evidence. imposes
no duty on neutral government to de-
tain such merchant vessel even for the
purpose of Investigating the rumor or
suspicion unless it is known that the
vessel has been previously engaged in
furnishing supplies to d belligerent war
ship.
"3-Circumstantial evidence supporting
a rumor or suspicion that merchant
vessel intends to furnish a belligerent
warsllip with fuel or other supplies on
the high seas Is sufficient to warrant
detention of the vessel until its inten-
ton can be investigated in the follow
ing cases:
Need of Investigation.
"taJ-When IL 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 a strong presumption that the war
ship is off the port:
"Ib)-When the merchant vessel is
of the nationality of the belligerent
whose warshp is known TO be off the
coast;
"fc)-When "A merchant vessel which
has on a previous voyage between
ports of the United states ard ports of