Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-17

lead to the proposal cannot De regard ed as a permanent condition, but as one which will no doubt be suppressed blythe United States authorities with in the not distant future.
 Cannot Abandon Principle
 While, therefore, they are desirous of assisting the United States govern ment to the best of their ability in the suppression of the traffic and in the prevention of the abuse of the British flag by those engaged in it, they do not feel that they can properly acquiesce in order to meet a tempor- ary emergency. in the abandonment of principle to which they attach great importance.'
 The American note was quite long and pointed out that British terri tories apparently "are made bases of operation in fragrant violation of con- stitutional and statutory provisions of 1 the United States In suggesting l measures of prevention it said: "It is believed that effective meas l ures for this purpose might be taken
 by careful supervision of the ] issuance of registries to vessels sus- | pected of being engaged in illegal | traffic and of the issuance of clear ance papers for such vessels and by an international agreement between | the United States and Great Britain ] under which the authorities of each | nation would be authorized to exercise beyond the three mile limit of terri | torial waters a measure of control over vessels belonging to the other.
 Tt has been found that many oi 1 the ships engaged in the illegal snug | gling of liquor into the United States are registered under the British flag | 1f ,,@r carried by such vessels from Bahama! Island and from Bermuda.
 Methods of Snugglers
 1 This departments attention has l been drawn to the ease with which i | seems vessels of American registr! are transferred to British registry foi the purpose of preventing the author ities of the United States from taking | the necessary steps to thwart thes' smuggling operations.
 Tt would be of great assistance u
 this government in combating tn illicit traffic in liquors if authoritie at Bermuda and in the Baham;
 Islands should refuse the privilege o ,I registry of American vessels unless
 certificate from the United State shipping board is produced showini that the vessel has first been tendere : to it.
 There is information before tn , department indicating that the author , ities at the Bahama Islands have i many cases issued two sets of clear
 ance papers to ships which have take } on board cargoes of liquor, one SC : for a cargo of liquor declared to b } destined for Halifax, Tampico, or s Pierre and other set issued in ballas
 for an American port. This proceed 9 ure is adopted by the liquor smuggler so that the ship may come withi unloading distance of American shore ' and if caught with a cargo of liquo 9 on board the matter can exhibit tn 2 clearance to Mexico or Canada: l the ship has succeeded in unloadin
 the cargo on the shore without bein
 captured, it proceeds into an Amer
 can port with the second clearanC 6 papers.
 "The situation with which the au
 thorities of this government al : confronted has become so serious ths a this government feels prompted I inquire whether your governmeI $ would be disposed to enter into = treaty for the purpose of checkir IT the illegal practices in question. Suc o treaty might contain reciproc s provisions authorizing the authoriti = of each government to exercise a rigl s of search of vessels of the other b, l. yond the three mile limit of territori
 waters to the extent of twelve mil Is from the shore. It would appear th IT no inconvenience would be exper l. enced as a result of the exercise p such a right by vessels engaged 'r legitimate trade between Nassau al d Halifax. It is evidently natural f t. such vessels to take direct route j. Hatteras and then a direct course h Diamond Shoal lighthouse and fro s- thence to Halifax Apparently tn d course brings vessels at no poi J. within four leagues of the Americ; IS shore"