Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-07
.E:NGLAND'S COURSE
IS NOT JUSTIFIED
Expert on International Relations
Reviews Recent Note Of
Sir Edward Grey.
NO DOUBT OF LAW TO-DAY
Declaration of London Contains
Deliberate Restatement of
Rules of Naval War.
by HANNIS TAYLOR.
Expert In International Inv. Former

by HANNIS TAYLOR
Expert I'm International Inv. Former
Minister to Spain.
I have delayed my answer to the re :
quest made some days ago by the Inter-
national News Service for Il review Of
Sir Edward Grey's note of Iuly %. de-
Tending British deprcdations upon our
neutral commerce. in order 10 give calm
and critical consideration to every part
Of ii. III the meantime, ! see :hat the
note in question is not fully indorsed
by the rlit!Sh press. Even the London
Times thinks Sir Edward unconvincing
III his plea of ''lcniencv." And so the
time has arrived at last when the in =
fatuated who have been fawuing at
the feet of Great Britain. even 10 the
point of surrendcring our right to con-
troll the Panama Canal. can no longer
deceive themselves. In return. we
have received a blow in the face from
the mailed hand that always lifts it's
despotic power to control the high
sidcration.
With brutal frankncss. the British
note admits that III" normal intcrna-
,ionaI law Of the world regulating the
subjects OF blockade and contraband
by British orders in council. because il
would he otherwise impossible for
Great Britain TO carry out her s,arva-
tion blockade against the central king
doms. To accomplish that end she
claims. first. the right to blockade the
neutral ports OF Holland Denmark.
Norway and Sweden: second. to ue-
clare. by her own municipal ordinances.
articles contra band which. by the Dec
laration OF London solemnly prepa red
N her own capital in 1902. were to be
exempt from seizure as such
SCIENTIFIC REINSTATEMENT
or MARITIME LAW
1t is vita!ly important TO understand
that the Declaration Of London con-
tains deliberate and scientific re-
statement OF the maritime international
law Of the world as ii exists to-day
International law formulated after
the use OF ,orpcdoes and submarine
mines was vel! understood. 1t was
made as a declaration concerning the
laws OF naval war in a conference
called at the invitation of the British
government. which assembled at Lon
don with delegates from Germany. the
United states. France, Great Britain
ITALY. Austria Russia. Japan. Holland
and Soan. Article - o: the declara-
tiou provides:
The stgnatory powers undertake to
Insure the mutua! observance Of the
rules contained in the present declara-
ton in any war in which the bcl!i.er-
ents are parties thereto They will.
therefore, issue the necessary instruc-
tions 20 their authorities and to their
s...
ures as may be required in order TO in
sure that il will be applied by their
courts, and more particularly their
prize courts"
The genor.,l report presented 10 the
conference opens with this statement.
On the 9Th of February, iaoS. the
British government addressed a cir
cular TO various powers inviting them
10 meet at conference with the oh.
ject of reaching an agreement as TO
the definition of the generally recoC-
nizcd principles Of international law
in the sense of article I. paragraph ..
OF the convention signed at The Havu.
on The 18th of October. 1907. for the
establishment of an international prize
court. THIS agreement appeared neces-
sary TO the British government on ac-
count OF certain divercences OF view
which had become apparent at the
second peace conference in connection
with the settlement OF various import
an: questions of international mari
time law in time of war"
ELIMINATE ALL DIVERGENT
VIEWS on VITAL. QUESTIONS
At the instance of Great Britain the
representatives of the great maritime
nations met III her capital to eliminate
All divergent views as 10 the vital ques-
lions of international maritime .aw by
declaring. ms legal experts, what such
law actually is to-day.
The declaration is not statute pro-
claiming new law: IL is a digest corn
pilinE and iestating old law admitted
n no Surb hC n tho rt;oe l.,