Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-08-01
ADMIRAL TYPRIZE
COURT FURNISHES
MUCH INTEREST
Proceedings Not Unlike Those
m American Tribunals; Hun
dredS of Cases Are Under.
Consideration,

mifUliN 100 t-t court lneSP 0dNS is like
heinc Ina am American court. the prize
docket being crowded with cases in
yohiue the seizure OF American ships
with American attorneys and wit
nesses crowding the corridors and the
court ROOM the attorney general Sir
Edward Carson. citing long lists Of
American cases and text books in sup
port of his contentious Even the
lord chief Justice Of the prize court.
The BL Hon. sir Samuel Evans, is
asking questions about American eli
cnts American customs, and sharing
The distinct American atmosphere that
pcvldes the court room now -adays.
Here n detail are being rehearsed
the hundreds of secures of ships and
argoes which, besides their legal as
pect have ~ the aggregate developed
the most serious political crisis ex-
istIng between Great Britain and the
United states. There have been up
wards of 500 seizures and detenuons
of American ships, and the number Of
eargOos involved is far larger, for each
ship carries separate cargoes TO diff
fcrent conslgnees Many of the cases
have been settled. but the large num-
Der stilI at issue have gone through
the tedious process of prize court
pleadings, and this month began to
take their turn in being thrashed out
to final decision before the court It,
self
The prize court is one Of the laby-
ninth of buildings making that his
toric landmark known as the law
courts a massive pile Of weather
beaten gray stone. housing all the
of 9
chief justice ana the long train of
lesser digntares ana che various tri.
bunals. The scene within the court as
the American cases are heard is one
OF impressive dignity The chamber
itself rs q vast boX-like structure, with
stone floor ANA walls. great cathedra
windows fitering the light dimly. and
stained glass ceiling seventy feet
above The only touch of brightness
is the large gilded anchor and chains
hanging back of tho chief justice. an
emblem OF British naval power Sir
Samuel Evans, the presiding judge. is
en- q raised dais ten feet above the
level of the rows of solicitors and adj
y0catcs including the attorney general
and the solicitor general. kings coun-
selors ana junior counsellors-al Of
Them bench and bar in wigs and
gowns giving an appearance of deep
soIomnlty At the left of the judge sit
two Officers Of the royal merchant
marine In fun uniform. known as
nautical experts He Consults them
frequently on any technical question
Of navigation or naval construction
arising IN the cases.
americans 10 Coach.
AZ d..
can attorneys. in plain clothes ranks,
leaning forward to coach their Britt
ish brethren, but unable to say a word
as British practice requires all the ar
eumeHt to be presented b Officers Of
the court and British subjects This
has caused some little embarrassment
at umes when the reserved British
larlister did not urge a point with
that vehemence that seemed to bel
Warranted by the American legal
viewpoint
Sin Edward Carson, the attorney
general, is the central figure i'm these
prize court cases He is the famous
fiery lrishman from Ulster who leaped
into world fame when he organized
and ARMED the Ulster volunteers and
dared the government TO enforce home
me extent that home rule is still wait
ing. and now he is member Of the
government one Of the newly formed
coalition ministry. But there has been
no'nlng fiery in his conduct Of the
lf1e eases. He speaks without any
DldIorlcal effort in monOton0us.
hum-drum manner. All argument and
TO aeclamation He appears to have
llttIe humor for he looks blankly at
flI samuel on the bench when the
iord Justice laughs and has joke
W iht case of the ships Kim and
frdland CARRYING American cargoes
OH rubber. Sir Edward cited many
'melcan preccdents one Of them
was from Wallace, 556. the case Of
we bermuda. He read long para
EIaph 10 uphold his contention. and
ln'h paused with some apparent tri.
'lnpn that this American case was
'n uI ioufs on his side
but the next paragraph which yon
u''c not read said Sir Samuel from
YOU"
"e difference between the British
anu american practice was shown
men efforts were made to get 4 copy
n ,le printed brief and affidavit
WIZ" 0lr Edward Carson had been
,'ouiHs III open court In American
uuil9 These printed briefs are open
i" g"Sohe But when application was
"U' to the clerks Of the prize court
o"ty were scandalized at the request
' ','e's' uley explained. were rigidly Sc.
,, never going beyond the solicitors
Wu0 guarded them as matter Of
professional ethics
registry of t1e prize court IS
4Il"ef vast structure adjoining g.
u''ess bureaus. through which
, american attorneys wander in
o NuSl oil various branches OF their
49, 5IWays receiving the greatest
tro5t..s y out always with the mass Of
''HH and conserN atism against
49,, aelon. And yet the officials
l'' any suggestion that there had
,1n 'ey delay in these prize cas- s,
'.'uoush the American litigants are
ta,. ing under what they claim is de-
me or the chief officials, Mr.
.or register of admiralty said
"Ie IS absolutely no delay 80 far
w. prize court Is concerned Sir
'tuel evans is sitting early and late.
~ Yong TO give up the usual sum
il'I recess Of the court which begins
y .Nu5ust m order TO dispose Of these
s WIN the greatest prumptness.
4ue OF the British officials who has
s,,i Most TO do with these prize cases
was manifestN impossible for
r, Poliucal branch OF the govern
f '',gu. the crown. to hurry the legal
~ "tch where the existing law had
9t administered according to the
,sllls customs Ii would not De OK
,y'. Tor example. he said that the
.,-.. utiNe branch at Washington would
10 hurry the United States su-
H. h,'nle court on political grounds or
'ny way outside the usual appii-
an ''on tor advancement, which, after
4 "a. fa-.- n...