The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-01-28
BRITISH SEIZURES
Iconunusd From Fir., Tara,

Ambassador Page at London instulc,
ng him TO file "A formal and vigorou
protest. II is dated January 4 an,
.eXtually is as follows:
department advised that Brit
lsh customs authorities removed
from Danish steamer Oscar II.
734 bags parced mail enroute from
United States I Norway. Sweden
and Denmark: that British port
authorities have removed from
Swedish steamer Stockholm SO
bags parcel mail en- route to Goth.
enburg. Sweden. 70 New York:
that 5000 packages OF merchan.
disc, American property, have
been seized by British authorities
on the Danishs lsteamer United
states on her last trip 10 the Unit
ed States; that customs authori.
tie at kirkwall. on December is.
seized 597 bags OF parcel mail
from steamer Frederick VIII mani.
Tested for Norway. Sweden. and
Denmark. Dtner similar cases
might be mentioned. such as that
OF the steamer Heligolav.
Department inclined TO regard
parcel post articles as subject TO
same treatment as articles sent
as express or freight in respect TO
b~elligerent search, seizure and
condemnation. On the other hand
parcel post articles are O. tied
10 the usual exemption OF neutral
trade, and the protests Of the gov
eminent OF the United States in
regard TO what constitutes the nm
lawful bringing in Of ships for
search In port. the illegality OF
so-called blockade by Great Brit
ain and the improper assumption
OF jurisdiction of vessels and ar
goes apply TO commerce using par
Gel post service for the transmits
sion OF commodities. Please bring
this matter OF parcel post formal
ly 10 the attention Of the British
government
The department Is further in
formed that on December p the
entire mails. including sealei malls
and presumably the American dip
lomatic and consular pouches from
the United states 10 the Neither
lands. were removed by British
authorities from the Dutch steam.
or New Amsterdam. that on De-
cember 20 the Dutch vessel Moor
der Dyke was deprived al tho
Downs OF American mail from the
United States 20 Rotterdam. and
that these mails are still held by
British authorities. other SINH
lar instances could be mentioned.
as the cases of the steamers Rot.
tcrdam and $oordam
The department cannot admit
the right Of the British authorities
90 seize neutral vessels rlyirr Die
rccfly between American and neu.
fraI European ports without touch
ing at British ports. to bring them
into port. and. while there to re.
move or censor malls carried by
them Modern practice generally
recognizes that mails are not 20
De- censored. Coufi-cafed. or de
stroyod on the high seas. even
when carried by belIigorenj mail
ships To attain same end hv
br.ncInr such mail ships within
British jurisdiction FOR purposes
off search and then s|ubjectinr them
fo lorr. REGULATIONS allowing cen.
s0rshiU OF mails cannot De- iusti-
- -- 'H' ENN|.AA 40 LN|NN.'NN .|N|.
I-dicfiou. lu cases where neutral
mail ships merely touch az british
porte tho department believes that
British aufhorIfIo4 have no inter
national right FOB rcmoVc the seal.
cd malls or fu censor them ON
board ship
Mails ON such ships never
rehtfuIiv conn, into The custody
of rho British mail service and
chat service III. srf'rlIt without
..nor..tI|fE FOR their transmits
n Il0lE
result of British action.
strong f..'.rr h..r. aroused DOB
fH. country nr account 81 fHr
In .. valuable. letters. mor.
0..... and rrr. and for,.rn
HrI .f. r.lI "r fu ,..1 Amer
i..n N..'. .u... fr fH. ah..r..
u arr .s.Hr... .Iaf ff. dran.
"t.. r trr ra..
Moreover. fI. detention of FIn'u
H'f. ar' consular maI Ia an af
..nE.f.. Hr.. I'M "a r-.,