Evening star., 1915-04-04

to the subject OF the inviolability OF
correspondence and the postal service
The conference of The Hague In 1870
adopted the following rules: XL Art }.
postal correspondence: Postal corre-
spondence of neutrals and beliigerents-
official or private. found on the high
seas aboard a neutral or hostile snip
Is inviolable. II the ship is retained
the correspondence is forwarded to its
destination by the captor with the leasi
delay possible.
Art. ,. The inviolability of postal
correspondence does not exempt a neu
trail post boat from the law and usage.
of naval warfare applied in general to
neutral ships. Nevertheless the ship
cannot be searched except in case OF
absolute necessity and in such case
only in taking great care and with all
the promptness possible
England did not adhere TO that agree
ment and for fact the convention has
not been respected
Rn1e Has Not by the adherents
a, Perhaps II was not
Been Observed. expected that 't
would be respected.
Mention may also he made rust here
with interest of the same agreement.
XII. article 3. which prescribes that
fishing boats or coasters are exempt
from capture.
The clause is doubly interesting be-
cause France as reported by Froissart,
maintained the principle OF exemption
of fishing boats. In 1921 treaty was
concluded between Francois I and
Charles at Calais. under the auspices
of Henry VIII of England and the
Pope, with the special object OF as.
fishermen on the coasts of the contracting
parties, from October to January OF each
year. The two parties observed that rule
during all the Anglo French wars OF the
middle ages: il fell into disuse under the
reign of Louis XIV. when the laws Of 1863
and 1892 subjected the fishing boats 20
seizure. In the commencement Of the
Of American Independence France
resumed her ancient tradition and by
letter dated June 5. 1.7a. Louis XVI or
dered that English fishermen and their
property should he exempted upon condi
tion that they did not aid the military
operations of the enemy. Except the
years 1900 and 1901 that rule continued to
be observed during the wars q the revo-
luton and the empire. The United
States followed the example of France in
the war against Mexico in 1916 and
France maintained the principle in the
wars Of the Crimea. of italy and of 1870.
Nevert heless during the war OF the Cr'-
mea British cruisers destroyed fishing
boats and tackle of the fishermen in the
sea OF Azol. which. at the time. excited
caustfc criticism Modern warfare has
not followed that humane doctrine: not
only the fishing boats Of the enemy are
not respected but submarine mines cause
friendly fishermen. as well as enemies
and neutrals. to be blown up.
Holland OF all neutral nations is the
most interested in neutrality. which Is
specially difficult for her 20
uoIland's observe, and yet she has
performed the task scrupu-
Interest. Iously and with exceeding
benevolence and generosity toward the
unfortunate.
The straight road from Berlin to Lon
don that passes through the kingdom. ana
the three great rivers. the Rhine, the
scheldt and the Meuse. that have played
a part in the actual war. TESTIFY to the
dangers that menace her neutrality. Ho'-
lands position is confessedly delicate
Holland, unlike Belgium and Switzerland.
has not been neutralized by treaty, but
stands like other nations, great ana
small. the unique guardian OF her proper
security. Hollands policy. writes
Hankes-Drieloma, Paris correspondent OF
the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant. has
always been clear and simple and may
be resumed thus:
Absolute independence. good relations
with other powers without particular
bonds or privileges with any of them.
reserved and neutral in the great prob
lens of international policy. on the
economical head Holland is resoluteiy
free tradist. which excludes all equ'vo-
cation and maintains good relations with
all other powers. without privileges 10
any
Holland, the first in Europe after Aus
tria- Hungary and Serbia, already at war.
ro,nh 1tz1f n
resolved to defend her independence. The
problems presented to Holland in her re
lationship to the beiligerents have been
characterized as military. political ana
economical
Under the head of military and politi-
cal, the questions of the fnternments
and the Scheldt predominate. The in
ternational conventions have estab-
lished rules in the case of the military or
belligerent nations whom the hazard
of war bring to their territory by
flight or through error in direction.
Internment is the rule. and Belgians.
Germans and Enelish have been dis
armed and interned during the war.
The question of the Scheldt. reduced
to its principal point. is this: Holland.
in the fulfillment Of her obligations or
neutrality, will not permit any be'-
ligerent war vessels to pass the waters
of the western Scheldt Holland"
writes one of her eminent juris-
consults. Sovereign proprietor of the
branch of the Scheldt that crosses her
territory is the resolute guardian or
her inyiola bility" The economic ques-
ton it goes without sayin@. is con-
nected with the importations and eN-
portations and what is and what is not
contra band of war.
The question of contraband of war
has varied greatly during the course Of
the nineteenth cer-
Question of tury Until and during
the Napoleonic wars
ConIfapanu. nothing was consid-
cred contraband except things directly
destined for armies in campaign. Mer-
chandise and products manufactured
for war: arms, munitions. tents. horses.
uniforms. military wagons. harness.
equipment. etc. This was modified IN
time Coal was declared absolute con-
raband, and for manifest reasons.
Merchandise was divided into three
classes; articles which can only serve
in war, articles susceptible OF being
employed for pacific or military pur-
poses, and, thirdly. those which cannot
serve in war. These last articles are
in article % Of the dec
laration of London and cannot be treat
ed as contraband.
The class of articles which can only
serve in war are designated as abso-
lutte contraband" The list was estab-
lished by the conference at The Hague
in 1907. but was not inserted in any
II arff fN1A af