The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-09-17
Four Declared Forfeited by
the British Prize
I Court
s15,0OO,OO0 OF AMERICAN
PRODUCTS ARE SEIZED
Scandinavian Vessels, Meat
Laden, Endeavoring to
Avoid Blockade

London. Sept. 1.-THE British prize
court yesterday condemned the slea.e,
mart of the American products FORMING ~,
the cargoes OF four steamships. iie
nroducts, valued at several million uoi-
lars are declared forfeited to the Crown'
The Judgment was delivered by pr
Samuel T. Evans, president OF the court
II involves the cargoes OF the Norwegian
steamships Kim, Alfred Nobel, Blornsi-
narne- r iornson and Firdland. All the
goods on these vessels, consisting primer
nally of American meat products, are
eonfscated with the exception OF snnaii
nroporton which the court released 10
claimants. The case has been penang
for several months. The steamships
were seized last November and although
efforts were made by the American own
ers to obtain an early trial, the British
authorities set the hearing for June.
The hearing closed last month and judg-
ment was reserved until yesterday
In a lengthy Judgment, Sir samuei
said it was plain these ships were car
ryinq towards Copenhagen, when cap
,tured more than thirteen times the
amount of goods which, under normal
circumstances, would have been taken
TO that port. That fact gave practical
and overwhelming assurance that the
goods were intended to find their way
to Germany, although, of course, 1t dld
not proye conclusively that they were
destined for an enemy OF Great BRIT
ain.
One circumstance throwing light on
the real destination of the goods, sir
Samuel said, was that the expectation
OF lard by one American company alone
to Copenhagen in three weeks after the
outbreak of the war was twenty times
more than in periods of peace. As to
tins of canned meat, he said, it had not
been shown they had been sent to Den
mark in any great quantity before the
war. vet hundreds of thousands were on
the way when the vessels were captured
These tins, it seemed, could not have
been meant for any persons other than
German soldiers.
Referring to the consignment of rub
her. described as gum, the president
said
Il have come to the conclusion that
gum is not true commercial descrlp-
ton for rubber and that it was used in
the ships manifests - order to avoid
the difficulty which would result in ITS
capture by a belligerent. Any conceal
ment of this sort will, while ! sit in the
prize court, weigh heavily against those
who adopt such courses.
"Neutrals are expected TO conduct
their neutral trade during the war with
out false papers and with candor, and
belligerents are entitled TO expect from
neutrals a frank course OF conduct.
Sir Samuel allowed one claim OF
Danish manufacturer for quantity OF
rubber. which he said had been shipped
in good faith for use in his factory An
other claim was disallowed.
The meat cargoes, shipped for the
most mart bv the Great American pack
inc companies and valued by them at
$4,000. 600. were found by the president
10 be destined except for some small
items. not for consumption in Denmark,
but for delivery in Germany. He held
that their eventual destination was the
German government. for the use OF IT'S
naval and military forces. To rule
otherwise. Sir Samuel said, would be
to be blinded by theories and tenehieal-
tiles"
The court disallowed sixteen claims,
including those OF the Morris, Armour,
Hammond. Swift and SuiEberger compa-
mics. Ii allowed eight claims. including
that of the Cudahy company Of Chicago.
The others were Danish oonsignees.
Sir Samuel gave leave 20 appeal, hx-
ing security for the costs at $4,000, d.
visible among the appellates. He also
gave the crown attorneys leave 20 ap-
peal in the cases Of the Cudahy and 9TH
er claims which we're allowed.