The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-02
Mast Heed u S. Sea Rights,
LanSdozvne Tells Lords
Minister Upheld by viscount Bryce Supports Arbitra-
ton in Shipping Cases-Would Lessen Hard
ships Imposed on Neutras.


20 arrive at an adjustment regarding the
decisions Of our prize courts"
The Earl Of Portsmouth put his ques-
tions In scini-sarcastic manner.
III the Declaration Of London Is not
In force" he asked, "why. In heavens
name, could we not fan back on the old
sea laws of our ancestors, which gave
them victory
"The country wants to get rid OF all
this rubbish--the Declaration of London
and the Hague Convention. We want
to sweep away all judicial niceties and
win this war by placing British In.
terests and the interests Of our allies az
the only interests. first aud supreme
Must RebutId Law of Nations.
Niscount bryce said that England ana
the United States already had agreed To
submit such questions to arbitration and
that therefore IL was superiiuous TO IN
uuire whether recent assurances OF this
sort had been given. He contendsd that
while England was entitled to press to
the utmost against her enemies all the
rights which International law gave her.
she could not ignore the rights of ncu-
trails and might easily lose much more
than she could gain by pressing her
rights To the limit III against neutrtls.
"A great deal Of the faDric OF inter
said. The great task %: the future will
be to rebuild that shattered fabric. II
would he most unfortunate. IL this coun-
try We're to go beyond what has been
considered to he settled internatio ional law
and max. her own will and her own
necessities the judges of her actions.
The plea of necessity has led t. most
atrocious crimes. We come forward as
the champions of International rights
daft. f,et. Al l..t
and 1t would be a misfortune II We were
To d.pait from that position
The Marquis of Crcwe said that the
paramount object was Ia prevent goods
from reaching the enemy. II fully
informed and absolutely impartial tri-
bun,l in perpetual session could he
conceived. he said. list of articles OF
contraband and conditional contraband
might he drawn up. but with the war
conditions changing II was "A hopeless
task to attempt to draw up such a
list. The Government therefore, he said
had adapted the code to the absolute
necessities of the existing situation, re-
naming. as in other matters. scrupu-
lously careful TO infiict as Little injury
as possible on neutrals
! Great Britain. h. said. was entitled
! To ask neutrals not To expect. simply
| In order to save their trade from loss
that goods the possession OF which mus,
/ prolong the war should be allowed to
pass to the enemy. She also WAS en-
titled. IN his opinion. 10 ask neutrals {,
consider that the straining of the inter
national code, which might involve in
convenience and pecunary loss to in
dividuals, was not the same thing and
ought not tu be compared with infrac-
tions which involved personal suffering
and We're contrary tn humanity.
The Declaration OF London. concluded
In 1909. defines the right OF search q.
merchantmen on the high seas by bel.
! ligerent warships. one OF the chic
principles set forth in the declaration is
"ForCible resistance to the lcgitimat,
exercise Of tn. right of stoppage. scare.
and capture involves in all cases IN.
condemnation OF the vessel. The carg,
is liable to the same treatment as tn,
cargo of an enemy vessel. Goods he
longing to the master or owner of tn,
vessel are treated as enemy goods"