The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-02
FRANCELlNKED
WITH ENGLAND
.lNSHIPSEIZURE
I. $. Will Protest Against
Former Declaring Sol
veig a Prize.
AMERICAN CRAFT TO
BE COMMANDEERED

wAsuiNJroN. Dec. l.-On the heels
OF a vigorous protest which Secretary
Lansing has sent to the British Gov
trnm-ut against the action of Great
Britam N taking steps TO commander
she American steamships Hooking and
.1resre of N" American Transatlantic
steamship company 1t was learned to-
dnv that the state department has re-
eeiyed IN. transcript of u judgment rem
dercd by the prize court at Marseilles,
France. holding the steamer Solveig of
the sam. line To be "a war prize.
The Judgment appears TO. have been
rendered on the same grounds upon
which tn. other vessels Ct the line were
seized. namely that she was German
owned.
The transcript shows that the judg-
vnent of the prize court. reached some
i'm. in November. was based on two
facts established in the hearing.
First that the United states Consul
ri Marselilas had written letters stating
tha, the Solyeig was not entitled to
fy the American dag.
Second. that Eugene r. Chamberlain.
United States Commissioner OF Navi-
cation. had written to the Maritime Reg
v,cr OF New York that the applications
Of III. American Transatlantic Steam
ship Company for American registry of
Norwegian and Danish vessels pur-
chased hy It had been held up because
o' doub, concerning the ownership OF
The company.
American Consul at Fault.
Officials OF the State Department de-
ii .h., t,nnSnl a Mar
settles should not have stated that the
Solveig was not entitled 10 fly the flag
pending the application for American
registry. hut that registry had not yet
been granted her Thes. officials in
djcateG to-day that protest Will be
f,ed with the French Government
against the judgment.
Il was also stated at the Department
tina, Information had been received there
20 the effect that the kankakee Of the
same line has been seiso0 by British
cruiser and taken tn Port Stanley In the
Falkland Islands. where. II is assumed
the British Government plans to COM
msndteg her just as IL has done In the
Cases Of the Hooking and Genesee.
officials are inclined to the belief that
This Government has strong and clear
cut cas-. against Great Britain IN the
Hooking and Gcnesee cases. The protest
which Mr. Lansing has directed Ambas
kdlpr Page at London to lay before tn,
British Foreign Office describes the com
ndudeering OF the two ships as contrar,
20 all established rules and precedents o
Uternttional law.
Tn, protest contends that the British
Government should have waited the out
com" Of the prize court proceedings a
Halifax, y. s., and ST. Lucia, British
West dies. where the vessels were re
.p.rtiy.iy held and should have give,
uprarrurity 10 the owners for an appea
~ IN. Uritish prIyv council as weu as
ma, ,rueal ,brnneh dinlomatIc ch.nne,
,o,r, t,ri,isb E,r,,.n omr.
r,i,
y was pointed out AZ the state DE
- 'm-nt that although the United state
Do eminent did not hesitate during tn
r,d war to commander blockade run
J-rs. All the ships SO impressed wer
Sow To- be enemy owned. The Govern
Ia,ut tontends that the British Govern
ment had nothing TO show that In IN
'Gize cour, proceedlnps which b.d tns
started and were under way. m. Hook
l.g or Ger,see was eramy ounnd
r.. nnr,. in,orna,;n,, ~. Ca. ,h,.,
ly the pepar,m.n, ne % ,h. ac,,on 60 no
Vas m IN. form of a comnioin, ala ,,.,,
&. r,. t,tIn, ~ W 1o'''p'a'n, ''ieu WI.
Transatlantic stsan,shin ron,,.an, @
f,r iutt reason Anh,s..dor p.ao ,,,,
Instructed ia .rcomnanv hi. nro,os, ,,,,,
a demand for nartirnI,r.
According IA tba cnn,,,a,,,,,., i,,,,
ton, IN. crown counse, ~ ,ha or,,is
Goy.rprnep, ~, tI9ii,aw "a ., ,.'
acting ON instruc,ion. Co. ,,.han;t,a
g. t...,. ..'l., '