The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-03
Action Causes Amusement l Among Department
 Officials
OTHER VESSELS OF
 LINE ALSO SEIZED
Acquisition Made Under Order of British Council Not Accepted by U. S. as in Accordance With
 International Law

Washington, December 2.-Official announcement that the American steamship Hooking had been requisi- tioned by the British government with out the formality of prize court pro- ceedings reached the state department late today in a dispatch from Consul General Young at Halifax, where the ship has been detained since she was seized by a British warship while on the way from New York to Norfolk
 This procedure will be contested viz orously by the United States as being illegal and in violation of recognized rights under international law. Depart ment officials who had been more or less skeptical regarding unofficial re- ports of the. intentions of Great Britain. expressed frank amazement when they learned that the Hooking actually had been requisitioned.
 The United States, it was said, would demand that the ship be retained in prize court, on the charge that she is partly German owned and that the prize court act promptly in the case. OTHER VESSELS REQUISITIONED
 Confirmation of official reports re- garding the action in the Hooking case led officials here to believe that Great Britain intends to take over for it's own use other vessels or the fleet owned by the American Transatlantic company; if it has not done so already. The company has informed the state department that it's ship Genesee at St Lucis, West Indies. has been requisi- toned. and that the Kankakee now at sea, bound for Port Stanley. Falk- land Islands, in charge of a prize crew from the British cruiser Macedonian, will be requisitioned on her arrival at port. Representations regarding the Hooking propably win include also the cases of the Genesee and the Kanka- kee.
 Attorneys acting for Great Britain base their motions for orders Of re- quisition upon a British order in coun- ell issued April 29. which the United Staets is not prepared to accept as in accordance with international law
 REPORT AWAITED
 The state department is awaiting a report from Ambassador Page at Lon don who, after the department had re ceived unofficial intimation of the in tention of the British government. was instructed to inquire into the matter and to enter vigorous protest if he found that requisition was contem- plated Although no information had been received from Ambassador Page tonight, it was presumed by depart ment officials that he had received con- firmation in London. The department desires to know just what action MT. Page has taken before determining what form further representations shall take
 Consul General Young's dispatch said that when the order allowing requisi- ton was granted by the prize court in Halifax today, 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 adjudica ton ih the ca se he against the British government The report contained no details regarding the appraisement
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