Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-09
Great Britain Announces She
Will Requisition American
Registered Ship without Prize
Court Proceedings.
j. s. OFFICIALS AMAZED
American Government Will Con.
tend That England's Proce.
dure Is Illegal and in Viola.
ton of Recognized Rights I'M
der International Law.

Washington, Dec. 2-Oricial announce.
ment that the American steamship Hock-
Ing had been requisitioned by the British
government without the formality OF
prize court proceedings was received by
the state department late to-day in a
despatch from Consul-General Young at
Halifax where the ship has been detained
since she was seized by a British war;
ship while on the way from New York
TO Norfolk.
This procedure will be vigorously con.
tested by the United States government
as being Illegal and in violation of
recognized rights under international law.
officials of the department, who had been
more or less skeptical regarding un-
official reports of the intentions of Great
Britain, expressed Amusement tonight.
The United States. it was said, will de-
mand that the ship be retained in q
prize court, on the charge that she is
partly German owned and that the priza
court act promptly in the case.
The requisition of the Hooking led off,
Gals here to believe that Great Britain
intends to take over for its own use other
vessels of the fleet owned by the Amer
ican Trans-Atlanti company, If it has
not done so already. The company has
Informed the state department that its
ship Genesee at st. Lucia, West Indies,
has been requisitioned and that the KAN
kakee now at sea bound for Port Stanley,
Falkland islands in charge of a prize crew
from the British cruiser Macedonian will
he requisitioned on her arrival at Port
Stanley. Representations regarding tho
Hooking probably will include also the
cases of the Genesee and the Kankakee.
Attorneys acting for Great Britain in
the cases base their motions for orders
or requisition upon a British order in
council issued April 20, which the United
states is not prepared to accept as in &C.
cordance with international law.
The state department now is await
ing Il report from Ambassador Page
at London who. after the department
had received unofficial intimation Of
the intention of the British govern
ment, was instructed to inquire into
the matter and to enter a vigorous
protest if he found h requisition
was contemplated.
Consul-General Young's despatch
said that when the order allowing
requisition was granted by the prize
court in Halifax this afternoon it
was stipulated that the crown should
give an undertaking for the appraised
value Of the ship. The crown, under
this arrangement agrees to pay the
amount Of the appraisement into the
court should final adjudication in the
case be against tho British govern
ment.
Officials of the state department al-
ready are arranging the legal arguments
which may be used in the case.
The American Trans Atlantic company
is a Delaware corporation which was
formed by Richard Wagner OF New York
and Wisconsin. 1t purchased ten ships,
nearly all of which before the war vera
flying the flags of foreign countries now
neutral. The status of the vessels was
questioned by Great Britain and the state
department ruled that the vessels were
entitled TO American registry on a prima
facie showing that they were owned BY
an American corporation.