Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-05
ARMED MARITIME NEUTRALITY

gate from port to port and along the
coasts OF nations At war.
Second. that goods belonging to sub
ject OF nations At war shall be free on
neutral vessela, exception being made
of contraband merchandise.
Third. that the empress has the au-
thority to denominate such contraband
merchandise already announced in ar
merce with Great Britain. extending
these obligations to all the powers at
war.
Fourth, that in order to determine the
denomination may apply only when
ships are anchored near the port ana
SO near as to present manifest
danger to enter.
rule in the proceedings and Judgments
on the legality OF the seisure OF prfzes
Her imperial majesty the statement
proceeded, docs not hesitate to de-
clare that to main
r.+h.r;u.,e tain these principles
and protect the honor
Declaration. 81 hsr fae. tine safety
Of her commerce and navigation OF her
subjects against any one. she caused
treat mart Of her maritime forces to Dc
prepared.
."rhis measure will not interfere in any
way with the rigorous neutrality wnicn
the empress has sacrediy opserveo. anu
provoked or forced to go beyond tne
limits Of moderation and perfect impair
TALLY.
feet will have orders to go wherever
honor, interest and necessity may call
them. 81,
ssIn giving that formal assurance with
, frankness. the empress proposes tnat
the belligerent powers. penetrated oy
sentiments of justice and equity. VIII
contribute to the accomplishment OF
her salutary views. which tend so mani.
festly to the utility Of all nations and
to the advantage even OF those ell, nn M
nish their admiralties and commanding
Officers with analogous Instructions ana
conform to the principles herein ABOVE
enunciated. taken from the prima.iv s
code of peoples and adopted OFTEN III
their conventions.'
London was inconceivabie IN reaoine
the declaration Of March ,! Tne prln
ciples enunciated by the empress were
absolutely contrary to the dearest IN
terests Of England. Moreover, the
Bourbon courts could procure, under
the principles of maritime neutrality
proclaimed by Catherine. all the pro
auctions Of the north SO necessary to
the marine Of France and Spain.
Harris. it need scarcely be said. was
in q blue blaze of fury. He had been
played by the en-
nr;+;.h Envnv press. by Potemkin
and by Count Panin-
Enra8eo. But Harris was good
loser, and a good diplomat he con-
tinued his fntrigues at court ana on
the first occasion he submitted a memo
randum on the part Of his court IN
which Great Britain declared her ad-
hesion to the declaration and that she
would treat neutrals conformabiy 20
the rights Of peoples and the spiris OF
given orders in this sense as much TO
the ships of the king as to the corsairs
and that Great Britain was resolved TO
punish severely those who committed
Later on the British cabinet. in its
response to the Russian declaration. on
the proposition of Lord Stormont, de-
clared that the rules indicated by Rus
STA should apply only to Russia as .9s
the other neutral states. they would
stand by the treaties which they had
already; that England would not con-
form except to what would not connlct
with her interests. etc Several days
later Harris learned. with chagrin. that
the empress had made no acknowiedg-
ment Of the note. but that 1t had been
locked up in her bureau without op-
servation. and the incident was closed.
The Russian declaration. badly re-
ceived in England. excited. on the other
hand enthusiasm in France and Spain
The Danish premier. Count Won Berns-
torff. was sympathetic to England, az
manifested in 1879, when he caused to
be restored to the. British prize ship
valued at f1.500.000. which an Ameri-
can frigate had taken into the port OF
Bergen. Despite the opposition of Won
Bernstorn Denmark finally signed the
April, 1880.
BY secret treaty concluded the
same day between Denmark and Russia
it was agreed to regard the Baltic as
a closed sea; to seize the first occasion
to re-establish peace: to cause to pre-
vail in future wars the system of
armed maritime neutrality"
But Bernstorff was not yet vanquish-
ed. He obtained after council an ex-
planatory note con-
Danish Premier corning the Anglo
n, Danish treaty OF
OisMlSseo' 1870, the text Of
which was vague, in which wood for
construction and maritime munitions
were recognised as contraband. Russia
was vexed and demanded, because of
Won Bernstorn's duplicity," his dismiss
al. Denmark dismissed the minister
and signed the declaration November
Is, 1880.
Sweden followed by giving her adj
hesion. Prussia likewise signed at st.
Petersburg. May 8. 1871.
Among the nations by whom the
league of neutrals" was most appre-
cfated was Holland. which signed the
declaration December "a, 1880. Austria.
Naples Lisbon and confederation of
neutrals followed.
Thus was accomplished the great act
of armed maritime neutrality. which
was confirmed seventy-six years later
by the congress Of Paris. Gustavus III
of Sweden desired to divide with Cath
crime the honors of the Intervention.
and wrote her August, 1892. ITO crown
by a decisive action the noble and
glowing efforts made by the empress
and her allies to establish the rights
Of neutrals by q congress.
WHARF the rights of neutralS might be