Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-25
OF JURISDICTION


"I3) Searching Of American vessels
for German and Austrian subjects on
IN" high seas and in territorial waters
OF a belligcrent.
so far as this government has been
informed, no American vessels on the
high seas. with two exceptions. have
been detained or searched by bellig-
crcn, warships for German and Aus
trian subjects. One OF the exceptions
10 which reference Is made is now the
subject OF rigid investigation, and
vigorous representations have been
made TO the offending government
The other exception. where certain
German passengers were made TO sign
promise not TO take part in the war,
has been brought TO I'll. attention of
the offending government with decla-
ration that such procedure. If true. is
an unwarrhnted cNerc' Of Jurisdiction
over American vessels. in which this
government will not acquiescc.
An American private vessel enter
ing voluntarily the territorial waters
Of helliGercnt becomes subject to It's
municipal laws. as d, The persons on
board the vessel
There have appeared in certain pub
LEGATIONS the assertion that failure to
protest IN these case. is an abandon
rnrut OF the principle for which the
United States went TO war i'm 1872 II
the failure to protest were true, which
IL is not tho principle involved il en-
tirely different from ti.s one appealed
10 against unjustifiable impressment OF
Americans in the British navy in time
OF peace.
RULES OF INTERNATIONAL
LAW ONLY APPLY
"tD Submission without protest to
British violations of the rules regard
ing absolute and conditional contra
band as laid down In The Hague con-
ventions, the Declaration of London
and international law.
There Is no Hague convention
which deals with ab,olute or condi-
tional contraband. and. as the Declara-
ton of London is not in force, the rules
Of international law only apply AS
to the articles to be regarded as con-
traband, there Is no general agreement
between nations. 1t Is the practice
of century. either in time of peace
or after the outbreak of war, to de-
clare the articles which It will con-
slider as absolute or conditional con-
traland. II is true that neutral gov
eminent Is seriously affected by this
declaration, as the rights OF It's sub
Jects or citizens may b. impaired. But
the rights and interests Of belligerents
and neutrals are opposed in respect to
contraband articles and trade, and
there is no tribunal to which questions
Of difference may he readily submitted
The record of the United States in
the past is not free from criticism
When neutral this government has
stood for restricted list of absolut c
and conditional contraband AS n bel
ligerent. we have commended for n lib
cral list. according 10 our conception
Of the necessities OF the case.
The United States has made earnest
representations to Great Britain in re-
gard to the seizure and detention by
the British authorities of all American
ships or cargoes bona fde destined to
neutral ports on the ground that such
seizures and dctentions were contrary
10 the existing rules Of international
law IT will be recalled. h.wever, that
American courts have established vari-
Gus rules bearing on these matters.
Tho rule Of continuous VOYAGE has
been not only asserted by American
tribunals, but extended by them. They