Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-17
AMERICAN GOODS
WORTH MILLIONS
SEIZED BY BRITAIN
Shipments of Meat on Four
Steamers Condemned and
Forfeited by Prize Court.
ONLY SMALL PORTION
RELEASED TO CLAIMANTS
Case Will Be Carried to Privy
Council, Says Attorney for
Chicago Packers.
DECISION WILL HURT TRADE
Tremendous Consignments, 1t Is Held,
Undoubtedly Were Intended
for Germany.
DECISION WILL HURT TRADE
Tremendous Consignments, 1t Is Held,
Undoubtedly Were Intended
for Germany.

LONDON, September l6.-virtually
seized Norwegian steamers Kim, AL
fred Nobel. Rjernstjernc Bjornsen and
Fridland was condemned by the Brit
ish prize court to-day and declared for
feited to the crown The cargoes were
valued at about S15.00O.000 small
part was released to claimants
The case has been pending for sew
eral months. The steamships were
seized last November. and efforts by
the American owners to obtain an early
trial failed. The hearing began in
June and closed last month
The court said IL was plain these
ships were carrying towards Copen-
hagen. when seized, more than thirteen
times the amount OF goods which un-
der normal circumstances would have
been taken to that port. The fact gave
practical and overwhelming assurance
that the goods were intended to find
their way to Germany. One circun,-
stance throwing light on the real des-
tination Of the goods. Sir Samuel T.
Evans. president of the court, said. was
that the expectation OF lard by one
American company alone to Copen-
hagen In three weeks after the out
break OF the war was twenty times
more than in periods OF peace AS to
tins of canned meat, he said. 1t had not
been shown they had been sent to Dem
mark In any great quantity before the
war. yet hundreds of thousands were
on the way when the vessels were
captured. These tins. it seemed. could
not have been meant for any persona
other than German soldiers.
C0NCEALNENT TO WEIGH
| HEAVILY IN PRIZE COURT
Referring to the consignments Of
rubber. described as gum, the presi-
dent said:
II have come to the conclusion that
gum is not true commercial descrip-
| tion for rubber. and that it was used
in the ships manifests in order to avoid
! the difficulty which would result in
It's capture by belligerent Any con-
| cealment 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
| without false papers and with candor,
and belligerents are entitled TO expect
from neutrals a frank course of con-
duct"
Sir Samuel allowed one claim of a
Danish manufacturer for a quantity OF
| rubber, which he said had been shipped
In good faith for use in his factory.
Another claim was disallowed.
The meat carGoes, shipped by the
great American packing companies. and
valued by them at Sl5.60O.O00, were
found by the president to be destined,
except for some small items for de-
livery in Germany. He held that their
eventual destination was the German
| government. for the use of its naval
and military forces To rule otherwise,
Sir Samuel said, would be TO allow
| ones eyes TO he blinded by theories and
technicalities
COURT DISALLows
SIXTEEN CLAIMS
The court disallowed sixteen claims,
including those OF the Morris, Armour.
Hammond. Swift and Sulzberger COM
panies. 1t allowed eight claims, in
cluding that of the Cudahy company,
OF Chicago. The others were Danish
consignees
Sir Samuel gave leave to appeal. fix
ing security for the costs at $4,000
diFlsible among the appellants. Ha
also gave the crown attorneys leave TO
! appeal in the cases of the Cudahy and
other claims allowed
The decision aroused intense interest
among all the representatives OF
American packing firms here, as we'll
as those Immediately involved. IL 40
American meat products have been
shipped 10 European neutralS since last
May, and the unfavorable result OF the
packers case is likely to cause fur
ther stoppagc of this trade
I'VE intend to carry the case TO the
Privy Council. where we expect TO
VIM" said Alfred r. Urion. attorney for
| the Chicago packers
1t is known that the packers in the
event OF losing in the Privy Council.
. will make further appeals through
diplomatic channels. with an interna-
tional commission as a possible court
of final appeal. The packers contend
that. as the orders in council OF last
March were not in force when tho
ships were seized. il is not even incum-
bent upon them TO prove that tho car
goes were not destined for a nation at
war with Great Britain. and they ex-
pect this contention would be upheld
I