The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-10-17

1t is transpo rted to West Palm Beach
Daytons and Fort Lauderdale. A list
OF vessels said to be plying between
the United States and the Bahamas
Is herewith enclosed.
Transfer Registry
This departments attention has
been drawn to the ease with which Ii
seems vessels OF American registry
are transferred to British registry for
the purpose of preventing the author
titles from the United States from talk
ing the necessary steps tC thwart
these smuggling operations. 1t is un-
derstood that British laws require
that vessels to be entitled to British
registry must be owned by British
subjects. Apparently reliable infor-
nation indicates that American citi-
zens of questionable reputation who
are known to be engaged in the
smuggling business have succeeded IN
blaming British registry at the Ba-
hama islands for a large number OF
American vessels by means of the ex
ecution of paper transfers purportins
to convey title to vessels to British
subjects in the Bahamas, although tic
actual interest in the vessels con-
tinues to vest in American citizens.
1T would be OF great assistance TO
tAiAt' ScNNi III COluDdIlnR lnt
Illicit traffic in liquors if authorities
at Bermuda and in the Bahama Is
lands should refuse the privilege OF
registry to American vessels unless
certificate from the United States
Shipping board is produced showing
that the vessel has first been tender
ed to it. 1t is understood that for
some time British law have imposed
restrictions necessitating some form
of acquiescence of British author.
tiles to the transfer of registry. 1t
would seem that laws of this char
acter cannot we'll be effectively
administered unless the authorities OF
one nation are disposed to take
cognizance of the legislation OF
another nation.
Situation Serious
There is information before the
department indicating that the au-
thorities at the Bahama Islands have
in many cases issued two sets oil
clearance papers to ships which have
taken on board cargoes of liquor 1t
is said that persons engaged in this
traffic have openly made the state
ment that they have no trouble in
obtaining from the Bahamas customs
officials one set OF clearance papers
for cargo of liquor declared to be
destined for Halifax, Tampico. or st.
Pierre and other clearance papers is
sued lin ballast" for an American
port This procedure is adopted by
the liquor smugglers so that the ship
may come within unloading distance
of American shores and II caught
with cargo of liquor on board the
master cal exhibit the clearance to
Mexico or Canada; If the ship has
succeeded in unloading the cargo on
the shore without being captured. It
proceeds into an American port with
the second clearance papers.
The situation with which the au-
thorities of this government are CON
fronted has become so serious that
this government feels prompted 10
inquire whether your government
would be disposed to enter into a
treaty for the purpose of checking
the Illegal practices in question Such
treaty might contain reciprocal
provisions authorizing the authorities
of each government to exercise a
right OF search of vessels of the
other beyond the three-mile of ter
ritorial waters to the extent of
IL miles from the shore. 1t would
appear that no inconvenience would
De experienced as II result - the
exercise of suchsa right by vessels
engaged in legitimate trade between
Nassau and Halifax. 1t is natural for
such vessels to take a direct route
for Hatteras and then a direct course
to Diamond Shoals lighthouse and
from thence to Halifax. Apparently
this course brings vessels at no point
within four leagues of the American
shore"