The Washington times., 1922-10-21
REGRETS
F0RSH|P
SEIZURE
Canadian Schooner Emerald,
Captured of Shore, Leads
To Diplomatic Clash.
BY w. H. ATKINS.
international News Service Staff

SoHhoSp0hue"ss
american prohibition agents
"blundered' when they seized the
Canadian schooner Emerald with
q liquor cargo off the New Jersey
coast-an act for which this Gov
ernment must now express re
gret" to the British G 3vernment,
It was disclosed officially at the
Treasury Department today.
For the first time since the dry
era began, the State Department
will be called upon to apologize to
a foreign government for over
Jealous enforcement of United
States liquor laws.
Report Being Made.
Legal authorities Of the Treasury
Department today began prepara-
tions Of the report on the Emerald
case to be submitted to Secretary Of
State Hughes. The report will state
that the Emerald did not establish
contact with the Jersey coast and
that members Of the crew did not
land.
Counsel for Prohibition Commits
sioner Haynes said the opinion ex.
listed among enforcement officials
that the Emerald was planning to
land liquor in the United States, but
there was no proof that smuggling
had taken place.
Breach Of Agreement.
The official inquiry today estab-
lished to the satisfaction Of Secre-
tary of the Treasurer Mellon that
when the dry navy chaser Hahn
ventured eight miles off shore.
trained her guns upon the liquor
laden Emerald. and brought her
into the port Of New York, Ameri-
breach Of international comfy and
agreement.
The British governments protest,
the first of its kind lodged with
the State Department, challenging
the right of this Government to
seize the British boat. is now held
by the Treasury Department to
have been we'll taken.
The British embassy will receive
response to its protest very
promptly, because there now 10 no
question as to the facts or circum-
stances, surrounding the seizure.
These were made very explicit to.
day in a. special report received by
the customs service Of the Treas.
ury, from the prohibition officials
who directed the operations Of the
dry cruiser Hahn.
To Make Restitution
The State Department will be
called upon to make restitution
to the owners Of the Canadian
schooner. At the Department of
Justice today, II was declared that
District Attorney Hayward, at New
York, will take immediate steps to
restore to the Canadian ship own.
ers, the 1000 cases OF whiskey
which was aboard the Emerald, at
the time she was towed into the
port, and further steps will be
taken In order to compensate the
owners against other losses sus.
tained.
In a report Of the incident" to
Secretary Mellon. prohibition Off.
cials lay stress upon the moral
obligation" which dry officers had
in seizing the Emerald. The frank
statement is made. however. that
the dry navy boat Hahn violated
Secretary MELONS instructions and
ran counter to President Harding g
warning to dry officials that the
dry navy boats should not venture
beyond the three-mile limit for pur.
pose Of seizure. unless foreign YES.
sells were shown conclusively to
have established communication
with shore by means Of their own
boats or ccews." Those instruc.
tons are 2 be observed risidiy.
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