Evening star., 1915-09-16
ENGLAND SEXES
.PRODUCTS0F j. S.
WORTH MILLIONS
Cargoes of Four Steamers Re-
vert to Crown by Prize
Court Ruling.
BUT SMALL PROPORTION
RELEASED TO CLAIMANTS
American Meat Packers. Suffer Most,
Value of Their Shipments Be-
ing $4,000 900.
LEAVE TO APPEAL GRANTED
Sir Samuel T. Evans Holds It Is Evil
dent That Great Consignments
Were for the German
Government.
BUT SMALL PROPORTION
RELEASED TO CLAIMANTS
LEAVE TO APPEAL GRANTED

LONDON, September 10
The British prize court today con-
demned the greater part OF the
American products forming the
cargoes of four steamships. The
products, valued at several mil
lion dollars. are declared forfeited
to the crown.
The judgment was delivered by
Sir Samuel T. Evans. president OF
the court. 1t involves the cargoes
OF the Norwegian steamships
Kim, Alfred Nobel. Bjornstjerne-
Bjornson and Fridland. All the
goods on these vessels, consist
ing principally of American meat
products, are conhscated with the
exception OF small proportion
which the court released to claim
ants.
Seized Last November.
The case has been pending for sew
eraf months The steamships were
seized last November, and although ef-
forts were made by the American own
ers to obtain an early trial, the Brit
1sh authorities set the hearing for June.
The hearing closed last month and
Judgment was reserved until today.
In lengthy Judgment Sir Samuel
said itwas plain these ships were car
|fying toward 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 And their way
to Germany, although, of course, it did
not prove eonclusiveiy that they were
destined for an enemy of Great Britain.
Cites Exports of Lard.
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, 1t had not
been shown they had been sent to Den
mark in any great quantity before the
war. yet hundreds Of thousands were
on their way when the vessels were
captured. These tins. IT seemed could
not have been meant for any persons
other than German soldiers.
Reference to Rubber.
rubber, described a gum. the president
said:
Il have come to the conclusion that
gum is not a true commercial descrip-
lion for rubber. and that it was used
in the ships manifests in order to avoid
the difficulty which would result in its
capture by beiiigerent. Amy conceal
ment of this sort will. while 1 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.
q nd bellfgerents are entitled to expect
from neutrals frank course of con-
duct"
Danish Claim Allowed.
Sir Samuel allowed one claim of
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 for the
most part by the great American pack
ing companies and valued by them at
S15. .000. .00e. were wound by the president
to be destined. except for some small
items. not for consumption IN Denmark.
but for delivery in Germany. He held that
N he
,nan government. for the use of its
naval and military forces. To rule
otherwise. Sir Samuel said. would be TO
allow ones eyes TO be blinded by theo-
Ties and technicalites.
Action Upon Claims.
The court disallowed sixteen claims,
including those of the Morris. Armour,
HI mmond. Swift & Sulzberger COM
panies. 1t allowed eight claims, in
ciuding 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,
divisible among the appellants. He also
gave the crown attorneys leave to ap-
peal In the cases of the Cudahy and
ether claims which were allowed.
Complete Loss to the Packers.
CHICAGO. September 16.-The meat
rargoes conhscated by Great Britain
will be a complete loss to the packers
according to Thomas f. Wilson, presi-
dent of Morris & Co., as there was no
advance payments made on the shin
ments. He will issue statement later
koday.
omcials Little Surprised.
State Department officials were little
Purprised at the finding of the London
prize court in the American meat cargo
NIhA&hAe