Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-15

proclaim that any frco,,cntinr and usn
Of the waters within the territorial
Jurisdiction Of the United states bv the
armed vessels of a belligercnt. whether
public ships or privatecrS. for the fur
ther preparing for hostile operations
or as posts Of observation upon tho
SilDs OF war or rrivatcers or merchant
vessels OF hclligerent lying within or
beng about to enter tho jurisdiction of
the United states, mus, be regarded ~
uniriendly and offensive, ana in viola
ton OF that neutrality which il is the
determination of this government To
observe"
The first offense OF the British gov
ornncnt was the ease of Il cruiser
which lay OF New York and received
supplies The matter was taken up
with the british embassy and it was
announced soon aftcrward by the
british government that the cruiser
would be withdrawn.
PROTEST. WILL DEPEND
ON REPORT or CONSUL
Whether the United States will pro
test to Great Britain on the searching
OF the American steamer Zcalandia by
crew from a British warship will de-
pend upon the report of Consul j. W.
Gernon, 1T ProgrcSo. Yucatan. The
state Department tonight ordered
Gcrmon to learn definitely whether the
Zcalandia was ovcrhauled within or
outside OF the threc-mi limit of Pro-
grcSo harbor.
If the consurs report says that the
search took place within the three mile
limit. state Department officials indi-
Gated that n vigorous protest will be
made TO Great britain Mt once. 1t was
considered likely that an apology
would DO demanded with a pledge that
the oifcnsc will not he repeated. OH
Gals declared that ovcrhauling an
American vessel within Mexican terri
torial waters constitutes u fragrant
violation Of international law.
1t was decided to abide by Consul
Germou's report. because conflicting
statements from the captain Of the Zca-
landia and the commander of the Brit
ish warship raised Il direct issue of
fact The British commander informed
the British embassy here that the
search took place i'm the open sea. The
embassy communicated the informa ton
10 the State Department. To-day. State
Department officials read copies Of the
Xealandia captains affidavit. sent TO
the owners OF tho vessel in New York.
which declared that the ship vas over
hauled while in progreso harbor.
WILL REQUEST SAFETY
FOR STEAMER WINNEBAGO
The request of the State Department
that Great Britain permit the American
steamship Winncbago to proceed un-
molcstcd from Bucnos Aires to New
York probably will be cablcd to Lon
don tomorrow.
This is the result Ct the appeals to
the state Department by President
Wagner. of the American Transatlun-
tic Steamship Company. for u Guaran-
tee by the United States government
that the ships OF his company, under
American registry, should not be mo-
Tested by British cruisers. The de-
partmcnt. while not guaranteeing i'm
munity, decided to inform Great Britain
that the American registry of the
Winncbago is not open to serious chal-
lcnge, and that she Is entitled to free
passage.
officials say that tho Winnehago Is
:, test ease. and that upon Great
Britain's reply To this governments
request will depend the action OF the
department with reference 10 all the
other vessels OF the American Trans
atlantic Company.
IL Great britain should decline to
acccde to the request and seize the
Winnchago, il is probable this gov
crnmcnt Will demand her release.
CASE Of WINNEHAGO
NOT LIKE THAT OF HOOKING;
Officials said to-nirr' the case
of the Winucbago is differentiated
from that OF the Hooking, of the same
company. because the statements of
PRESIDENT Wagner and the unassail-