Case: The Circassian
Abbreviation: The Circassian
Decision Date: 1864-12
Docket Number: 
Citation: 2 Wall. 135
Volume: 69
Reporter: United States Reports
Court: Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction: United States
Parties: The Circassian.
Judges: 
Pages: 135–160

Head Matter:
The Circassian.
1. A blockade may be', made effectual by batteries on shore as well as by ships afloat; and, in case of an inland port, may be maintained by batteries commanding the river or inlet by which it may be approached, ■supported by a naval force sufficient to warn off innocent arid capture offending vessels attempting to enter.
2. The.occupation of a city by a blockading belligerent does not terminate a public blockade of it previously existing; the city itself being hostile, the opposing enemy in the neighborhood, and the. occupation limited, recent, and subject to the vicissitudes of war.' Still less .does it terminate a blockade proclaimed and maintained not only against that city, but against the port and' district commercially dependent upon it and . blockaded by its blockade.
3.' A public blockade, that is to say, a blockade regularly notified to neutral. •. ■ governments, and as such distinguished from a simple blockade or such , as may be established .by a naval officer, acting on his own discretion, or ■ under direction of his superiors, must, in the absence of clear proof of a ■ discontinuance of it, be presumed to continue until notification is given by the blockading government of such discontinuance.
4. A vessel sailing from a neutral port with intent to violate a blockade is liable to capture and condemnation as prize from the time of sailing; iand the intent to violate the blockade is not disproved by evidence- of a purpose to call at another neutral port, not reached at time of capture, with ulterior destination to the blockaded port,
6. ’Evidence of intent to violate blockade may be' collected from bills of-lading of cargo, from letters and papers found on board the captured vessel, from acts and words of the owners or hirers of the vessel and the shippers of the cargo and their agents, and from, the spoliation of papers in apprehension of capture.
The steamship Circassian, a merchant steamer under British colors, was captured with a valuable cargo by the United States steamer Somerset, for an attempted violation of the blockade established in pursuance of the proclamation of the President, dated 19th of April,. 1861. Both vessel and cargo were condemned as lawful prize by the District Court' for the Southern District of Florida; and the master, as representative of both, now brought the decree under the review of this court by appeal.
The capture was made on the áth of May, 1862, — the date is important, — seven or eight miles off the northerly coast of Cuba, about- half way between Matanzas and Havana,- and about thirty miles from Havana; the ship at the time ostensibly proceeding to 'Havana, then distant but two or three hours’ sail. The main voyage was begun at Bordeaux. There she took a cargo, — no part of it contraband, — and was making her way to Havana when captured. Pearson & Co., of Hull*, British subjects, were her ostensible owners. The cargo was shipped by various English and French subjects, and consigned to order. The bills of lading spoke of the ship as “loading for the port of Havana/or orders;” and the promise of the bills wTas to deliver the packages “to the said port of Havana, there to receive orders for the final destination 'of my said steamer, and to deliver the same to Messrs. Brula-tour & Co., or their order, he or they paying me freight in accordance with the terms of my charter-party, which is to be considered the supreme law as regards the voyage of said steamer, the orders to be received for her and her final destination.” The master swore positively that he did not know of any destination after Havana; nor did the depositions directly show an intention to break the blockade.
Tjio evidence of this intent rested chiefly on papers found on the vessel when captured, and in the inference arising from the spoliation of others. Thus while on her ivay from Cardifle to Bordeaux, the ship-had been chartered by Pearson & Co. to one J. Soubry, of Paris, agent for merchants loading her; the charter-party, containing a stipulation that she should proceed to Havre or Bordeaux as ordered, and then to load from the factories of the said merchants a full cargo, and “therewith proceed to Havana, Nassau, or Bermuda, as ordered on' sailing, and thence to proceed to a port of America, and to run the blockade, ij? so ordered'“by the freighters.”
With this charter-party was the following:
Memorandum of affreightment.-
Taken on freight of Mr. Bouvet, Jr., by order and for account • of Mr. J. Soubry, on board of the . British .steamer Circassian, &c., bound to Nassau, Bermuda, or Havana, the quantity, &c. Mr. J, Soubry engages to execute the charter-party of affreight ment; that is to say, that the merchandise shall not be disem barked but at the port of New Orleans, and to this effect he engages to force the blockade, for account and with authority of J. Soubry.
Laibert, Neveu.
And on this was indorsed, by one P. Debordes, who was tbe ship’s husband or agent at Bordeaux, these words:
Bordeaux, 15 February, 1862.
Sent similar memorandum to the parties concerned.
P. DESBORDES.
Só, tdo, Bouvet wrote his correspondents in New Orleans, as follows, the letter being found on the captured vessel:
Bordeaux, 1st April, 1862.
Messrs. Brulatour & Co., New Orleans:
Confirming my letter of the 29th ult., copy of which is annexed, I‘inclose herewith bills lading for 659 packages merchandise, and -92 small casks TJ. P.; also, copy of charter-party, and \private memorandum, per Circassian, in order that you may have no difficulty in settling the freight by that vessel.
The Circassian has engaged to force the blockade, but should she fail in doing so,.you will act in this 'matter as you may deem best. I intrust this matter entirely to you.
Accept, gentlemen, my affectionate salutations.
E. Bouvei.
In addition to these papers, various private letters, mostly, of course, in Drench, from' persons in Bordeaux to their correspondents at Havana and New Orleans, were found oh the vessel. One of these spoke of the steamer as “ loading entirely with our products for New Orleans, where, it is said, she has engaged to introduce them;” another describes her “ as arrived at Bordeaux, a month since, to take on board a fine cargo, with which to force the blockade a third, as “ a very fast sailer, loaded in our port for New Orleans, where she will proceed, after having touched.at Havana;” a fourth, as “about to try do enter -your-Mississippi, touching, previously, at Havana.” , So others,-.with similar expression's. A British house-of Belfast,■ sending--a- letter by her to Havana, “ takes it for granted that she will proceed with .her freight to New Orleans.” A French one of Bordeaux had a different view as to her getting there. ■ This one writes:
“ We: are going to ■ have - a. -British; steamer- here of a thousand tons cargo for your port. We shall ship nothing by her, because the affair has been badly managed. Instead of keeping it a secret, it has been announeed-in -Paris,- laohdon, and Bordeaux. Of course, the-American Government is well informed as to all its details'; and if the steamer ever enters New Orleans, it will be because-the commanding officer, of the blockading squadron shuts his eyes. If .he does not,.she.must b.e'captured.”'
In addition to this evidence, it appeared that a package of letters, which were sent on.board at Panillac, a-small place at the mouth-of the Gironde, after the Circassian had cleared from Bordeaux, and was- setting 'off> to sea,: were burned'after the vessel hove to, and -before .the‘officers of the Somerset came on board, :at the-time of capture.
So faf with regard to-evidence-of intent to break the blockade. ■ .This case, however, presented a special feature.
The1 capture, as already noted, took place on the 4th of May; 1862; at which date the city ,of New Orleans, for-whose port the lib.ellahts alleged that the vessel had been really about to run, was in possession, more or less defined and firm, of the United States. The history was thus:
A'fleet of the United States, under Commodore Farragut, having captured -Forts Jackson and St. Philip on the 28d of April, reached New Orleans on the 25th. On the 26th, the .commodore demanded of the mayor the surrender of the city. The.reply of the mayor was “ that the city was under martial law, and that he would consult General Lovell.” The rebel Lovell declared, in turn, that “ he would surrender nothing;” .but, at the same time, that he would retire, and leave the mayor unembarrassed.' On the 26th, the flag-officer sent a letter, No. 2, to the mayor, in which he says:
“ I came here to reduce New Orleans to obedience to the laws, and to vindicate the offended majesty of the Government. The rights of persons and property shall be secured. I therefore demand the unqualified surrender of the city, and that the emblem ,of sovereignty of the "United States be hoisted upon the" City ■ Hall, Mint, and Custom House, by meridian of this day. And all emblems of sovereignty other than those of the United States must be removed from all public buildings- from that hour.”
• To this the mayor' transmitted, on the same day, an answer, which' he says “ is the universal sense of 'my constituents, no less than the prompting of my owá heart.” After announcing that “ out of regard for the lives of the women and children who crowd this metropolis,” General Lovell had evacuated it with his troops, and “ restored to me the custody of its power,” he continues:
“ The city is without the- means of-defenee. ' To surrender such a place were an idle and an unmeaning ceremony. The place is yours by the power of brutal force, not by any choice or consent of its inhabitants. As to hoisting'any flag other than the flag of our own adoption and, allegiance¿ let me say to you that the 'man lives not in our midst whose hand and heart would not he paralyzed at the mere thought of such an act; nor can I find in my entire constituency so wretched and desperate a renegade as would dare to profane with his hand the sacred emblem of our aspirations. Your occupying the city does not transfer* allegiance from the government of their choice to .one which they have deliberately repudiated, „and they yield the obedience which the conqueror is entitled to extort from the conquered.”
At. 6 a. M. of the 27th, thé National flag was hoisted, under directions of Flag-officer Farragut, on the Mint, which.building lay under the guns of the Government fleet; but at 10 a. m. of the same day an attempt to hoist it on the Custom House was abandoned; “ the excitement of the. crowd was so great that the mayor and councilmen thought that it would produce a conflict and cause great loss of life.”
On the 29th, General Butler reports that he finds the city under the dominion of the mob. “ They have insulted,” he says, “ our flag; torn it down with indignity.I send a marked copy of a New Orleans paper containing an applauding account of the outrage.”
On the same day that General reported thus:
“ The rebels have abandoned all their defensive works in and around New Orleans, including Forts Pike and Wood on Lake Pontchartraiu, and Fort Livingston on Barataría Bay. They have retired in the direction of Corinth, beyond Manchac Pass, and abandoned everything in the river as far as.Ponaldsonville, some seventy miles beyond New Orleans.”
To tbe reader who does not recall these places in their relations to New Orleans, the diagram on the page preceding will present them.
A small body of Federal troops began to occupy New Orleans on the 1st of May. On the 2d, tho landing was completed. The rebel mayor and council were not deposed. There was no armed resistance, but tho city was bitterly disaffected, and was kept in order only by severe military discipline, and the rebel army was still organized and in the vicinity.
The blockade in question, as already mentioned, was declared by proclamation of President Lincoln in April, 1861; and was a blockade of the whole coast of tho rebel States. No action to terminate it was taken by the Executive until the 12th of May, 1862, when, after the success of Elag-offi'cer Earragut, the President issued a proclamation that the blockade of the port of New Orleans might be dispensed with, except as to contraband of war, on and after July 1 si following.
Tbe ease thus presented two principal questions
1. Was tbe port of New Orleans, on tbe 4tb of May, under. blockade' ?'
2. If it was, was tbe Circassian, with a cargo, destined to tbat place, -then sailing witb an intent to violate it ? •
Supposing tbe cargo generally guilty, a minor question was,-as., to a particular part of it, asserted to bave been’ shipped by’Leech & Co., of Liverpool, British subjects, and of which a' certain William Burrows was really, or in appearance, “ supercargo.”
Burrows himself swore — bis own testimony being the only evidence on the subject — tbat be did not know of any charter-party for tbe voyage; tbat he received the bills of lading. (which, like all tbe bills, were in French) from Messrs. Des-bordes Co., the ship’s agents at Bordeaux; tbat be knew nothing -about any papers relating to other portions of tbe cargo; tbat'be was going to Havana to sett this merchandise, shipped by Leech,Harrison f Co., and was to return to Liverpool, either by the way of St. Thomas or New York; tbat be knew of no instructions■ to break''the 'blockade; bad. heard nothing about tbe vessel’s entering or breaking, tbe blockade of any port, either before, sailing or on tbe voyage, from any person as owner, or agent, or connected- witb tbe vessel or cargo. No letters or other papers were found compromising this portion of tbe cargo other than as above stated.
The statutory port of New Orleans, as distinguished from the city of New Orleans itself, it may here be said, includes an extended region along the Mississippi above tbe city, parts of which were, at this date and afterwards, in complete possession of the rebels. ■
Messrs. A. H. Smith and Larocque, for the• claimants of the ship and cargo:
I. A blockade is an interruption, by one belligerent, of-communication, by any persons whatever, with, a place occupied by another belligerent. No right exists-in a belligerent-,. as against a neutral, to blockade bis own ports-. That would be war upon the neutral. ■ Blockade is a right of war against the enemy, arid affects the neutral only incidentally, and from the necessity of the case. It is a right burdensome to neutrals, and is strict in its character. It is one which is claimed by the belligerent and yielded by the neutral, so long, and 1 only so long, as a blockade is maintained which is in accordance with and recognized by the law of nations. The blockade of his own ports would be an embargo, an act of war against the neutral, thereby made-and treated as an enemy. The embargo draws after it belligerent rights, and of a character entirely different from those that belong to a blockade; which are peaceful.:
Now, was New Orleans,-on the 4th of May, an enemy’s port ? Plainly not. The United States y. Mce, in this court, some years .since,.is in point.. In A.D. 1814, a place called Castine, on the south coast of the State of Mairie,- was captured by the British, then at war with us; and remained under the control of their military arid naval, forces .until peace, in 1815. They established a custom-house under -ordinary British laws.. Certain goods were imported into the place during this interval; and, on the repossession of the place by the American Government, the question was, whether the goods were liable to duty under the laws of the United States. This court held that they were not. “By the conquest and military" occupation of Castine,” say the court, “ the enemy' acquired that firm possession which enabled him to exercise!' the fullest rights of sovereignty over the place. The sovereignty of .the United States was, of course, suspended, arid the laws of the United States could- no longer be rightfully enforced there, or be obligatory on the inhabitants,! who remained and submitted to the conquerors. By the surrender, the inhabitants passed under a temporary allegiance to the British Government, and were bound by such laws,. and such only, as it chose to recognize and impose.” Our case is stronger than this. In the case just cited, the port was an American port, which fell under really foreign rule.. This rule was an unnatural', exceptional, and temporary one. It was never regarded by any party as otherwise, or' other than as an occupation during war, .to be relinquished when peace should come. Great Britain, of course, never expected to hold permanently an isolated point in our country. "With peace, the port was surrendered to us. Here, however, New Orleans had been seized by an insurrectionary faction only; certain Americans in temporary and mad revolt. We never ceased to regard New-Orleans as a city of the United States.- We never acknowledged her as belonging to any State but a State of this Union; a State then, as now, part of our one common country. In due time, and in a short time, the mob was brought, by the power of the Government, under its actual control, as - the Government has always considered-it to be under its constitutional right. The people were, at all times, American citizens; and at any moment, had they laid down their arms, these rights would have been conceded to them. With the suppression of the insurgent organization, law and order resumed the throne; the place became, in fact and in form, what, it was always in law, — a port of the United States. Everything wa.s remitted to its former condition. The case is one where the fiction of postliminy happens to be a fact; the just and benignant fiction of the Homan law, quce fingtt eum qui capius est in civitate semper fuisse.
Very likely the presence of the Federal army was odious enough to both mob and gentry of New Orleans, to men and women alike, “neutrals” and rebels,as well. The population ‘ may have been all hostile, bitter, defiant, explosive. Still, the Federal army did keep its possession there, and with no other opposition than that of offensive words, gestures, and looks. Probably it was never in any danger; for if it had been insufficient, the Federal fleet lay beside the town, -and could have destroyed it- in a day. Here is the-fact. From the hour that General Butler landed till this day, New Orleans has been under the Government control. That the fleet and .army were not welcome'd by tbe popnla tion witb open hearts and arms, has nothing to do with the question.
The Government, then, was re-established, and everything was remitted. If this position be true, the right to capture was gone, no matter how guilty the design of the Circassian. “When the blockade is raised’, a veil is thrown over everything that has been done, and the vessel is no longer taken in ddicto. The delictum may have been completed at one period, hut it is, by subsequent events, entirely done away.”
II. As to intent to run the blockade, the'only evidence tending to show this is derived from the documents found on board ; and from these, the following are the most unfavorable in-, ferences for the vessel and cargo.which could be drawn:
1st. By the charter-party, the vessel was to proceed “ to Havana, Nassau, or Bermuda, as -ordered on sailing, and thence to proceed to a port of America, and to run the blockade, IE SO ORDEREn BY FREIGHTERS.”
2d. ■ By a paper found, signed “ Laibert, Neveu” (nephew), Laibert engages, on behalf of Soubry, that the merchandise should not be disembarked but at the port of New Orleans, and, to this effect, he- engages to force the'blockade for' account and with authority of Soubry.
3d. The bills of lading contain an engagement by the master to convey the cargo to the. port of Havana, there to “ receive orders for the final destination of the steamer, and there to deliver the same to • — —, they paying freight in accordance with the terms of the charter-party; which was to be considered the supreme law as regarded the voyage, the-orders to be received for her, and her final destination.”
4th. There are letters from various, shippers to their, correspondents in Havana and New Orleans, showing their belief that she was going to New Orleans.
This, we say, is all the evidence. Apart, therefore, from the memorandum signed'“Laibert, Neveu,” of the genuine ness of which, and of whose authority there is no proof, how does thfe case stand ? The Circassian was not, at the time of capture, and never had been, sailing to New Orleans, nor indeed to any port contiguous thereto; Havana and New .Orleans are distant 650 miles. Then the controlling document is the charter-party; and, according to that, the eventual running of the blockade was dependent upon an optl-m to be exercised by the charterer .on arriving at Havana: the bills of lading were expressly made subject to the charter-party. Her voyage was, therefore, to Havana for orders — by the terms of the charter-party — by her bills of lading — and by the fact. At Havana there was a “locus penitentice.” The orders might, never be given. Indeed, it is quitfei certain they never-would have been given under the change of circumstances by the capture of Newr Orleans.
'Authority supports the view‘that this change of purpose; if effected at Havana, would avoid the capture.
In The Imina Sir "William Scott decided, that where the vessel had-originally sailed for Amsterdam, a blockaded port, under circumstances ■which would have subjected her to condemnation before changing her course; but the master, in consequence of information received at Elsinore, altered her destination, and proceeded towards Embden, she .was not ‘taken in delicto on a subsequent capture.
What difference exists between a guilty purpose forborne by the master, without the Imowledge of the owners, and one not yet fully matured, out resting in contingency, merely, at the time of capture ?
TIT. As respects the portion of the cargo under the care of Bur"rows. The evidence of this person, the supercargo, exculpates-the owners, and the portion'of the. .cargo owned, by them, from all participation in even an intention to violate the blockade. The bills of lading were ip French, which it does not appear that he understood. If he did, they, as do those for all the rest of the cargo, contain an express stipulation for the delivery of the goods to order, at Havana, on payment of the freight, according t.o' the charter-party; • and the reference to the latter .instrument would neither autho-. rize the carrying of the goods beyond that port,- nor was it of a nature to awaken any uneasiness on-the part of a supercargo bound only thither.
fV". The weight of American authority denies the right of capture, even where ■ the vessel is proceeding directly to the blockaded port, before an approach near enough, to actually attempt an'entry; nor has that right been established in this court as mistakenly stated by some American authors; and the decisions in other courts of this country are decidedly against it. So also is the concurring testimony of the later Continental writers.. The practice of the American Government has.also'been against it. The “ Columbia,” the earliest English case maintaining the doctrine, was decided in 1799, after the Revolution, and is not binding, here.
V. The doctrine of continuous voyages is not applicable 'to a case of simple breach of blockade disconnected from contraband, the rule of 1756, or illegal trade -between the subjects of the opposing belligerents.' All the cases cited below are of one or the other of these'classes. The “ Maria” and'“Charlotte Sophia” are not exceptions; for the voyage was really a direct one from the blockaded port in each case. This vessel could not be captured, therefore, while proceeding to Havana, for an intent afterwards to break the blockade o'f New Orleans.
VI. The Proclamation of May 12, 1862 (after this capture), founded on the 5th section of the act of July 13, 1861, did not retro-act; nor could either continue the blockade of our recovered port against neutrals. They apply only to trade between our own citizens.
Mr. Harries, contra, for the captors.
These forts were situated on opposite banks of the Mississippi River', about one-third of the way up to New Orleans from its mouths, and com-mandod the river approaches to the city. See chart, infra, page 140.
The state of tjnngs was thus described by.the commanding general, at a later date, in justification of some severe measures adopted by him:
“We were two thousand five hundred men in a city seven miles long, by two to four wide,- of a hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants, all hostile, bitter, defiant, explosivo; standing, literally, on a magazine, a spark only needed for destruction.” (General Butler in blew Orleans, by Barton,-342.)
In the record in this case, there was a copy of a proclamation by General Butler at New Orleans, dated May 1st, 1802, reciting that the city of New Orleans and its environs, with all its interior- and exterior defences, had surrendered, and making known tho purposes of the United States in thus taking possession, &c., and the rules and regulations by which the laws of the United States would, for the present, and during the state of war, be enforced and maintained. It appears (see infra, p. 258, TheVeniee) that, though dated on the 1st, this paper was not published so early. The printing officesJ of the city were still under rebel management, and would not print it. The True Delta, tho chief one, on the 2d, positively refused to do so, even as a handbill, no request having been ventured to have it printed in the columns of the paper. Some of General Butler’s troops having beep printers, half a dozen of them were sent to tho office; and while a file of soldiers stood' beside, a few copies were printed as a handbill, “ enough for the general’s immediate purpose.” It did not appear in the paper till the 6th, and then with a defiant protest. (See Barton, .282.)
4 Wheaton, 253.
The Lissett, 6 Robinson, 387, 396.
3 Robinson, 138, Amer. ed.; 167, English ed.
1 Kent, 150; Yeaton Fry, 5 Cranch, 342, 343; The Nereide, 9 Id. 440, 446; Fitzsimmons v. Newport Ins. Co., 4 Id. 199; Maryland Ins. Co. v. Woods, 6 Id. 45; Vos v. The .United Ins. Co., 1 Caines’ Cases, 23; Liotard v. Graves, 3 Caines’ R., 225; Calhoun v Ins. Co. of Pennsylvania, 1 Binney, 309; Williams v. Smith, 1 Cannes’ R., 1; Radcliffe v. United Ins. Co., 7 Johnson, 38; Hautefeuille, Des Droit et des Devoirs des Nations Neutres, vol. ii, pp. 241 to 244; Pistoye & Duverdy, Traite des Prises Maritimes, vol. i, p. 370; Heffter Europäisches Völker-recht, p. 276, see. 156; Pando, pp. 500, 503 ; Mr. King to Lord Grenville, Amor. State Papers, “Foreign Relations,”, vol. iii, p. 370; Mr. Smith to Com. Preble, 3 Wheaton’s R., Appendix, p. 10; Mr. Monroe-to the Chevalier de Onis, Amer. State Papers, For. Rel., vol. iv, p. 156; Mr. Irving to Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ibid. p. 158; Mr. Raguet to Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pub. Doe., 1st Sess. 20th Cong., “ State Papers,” vol. vii, Doc. 281, pp. 11 and 12; Mr. Mason, See. of Navy, to Commanding Officer in Pacific, 24th Dec. 1846; Mr, Marcy to Count de Sartiges, Ex. Doc. 3d Sess. 34th Cong., vol. i, pt. 1, p. 33 ; The ‘‘Columbia,” 1 Robinson, 154; Bentzon v. Boyle, 9 Cranch, 191
6 Robinson, 201 and 204, note.

Opinion:
The CHIEF JUSTICE
delivered the. opinion of the court.
That the rebellion against the national Government, which, in April, 1861, took the form of assault on Fort Sumter, had, before the end of July, assumed the character and proportions of civil war; and that the blockade, established under the President's proclamation, affected all neutral commerce, from that time, at least, with- its obligations and liabilities, are propositions which, in this court, are no longer open to question. They were not more explicitly affirmed by the judges who concurred in the judgment pronounced in the prize cases at the December Term, 1862, than by the judges who dissented from it.
The Government of the United States, involved in civil war, claimed the right to close, against all commerce, its own ports seized by the rebels, as a just and proper-exercise of .power for the suppression of attempted revolution. It insisted, and yet insists, that no one could "justly complain if that power should be decisively and peremptorily exerted. In deference, however, to the .views of the principal commercial nations, this right was waived, and a commercial blockade established. It-was, expected that this blockade, effectively maintained, ^wohld he scrupulously respected by nations and individuals who declared themselves neutral.
Of the various propositions asserted and controverted in the discussion of the cause now under consideration, two only need be examined in order to a correct understanding of its merits. It is insisted for the captors,
1. That on the 4th of May, 1862, the port of New Orleans was under blockade.;
2. That the Circassian, with a cargo destined for New Orleans, was then sailing with intent to violate that blockade, and therefore liable to capture as naval prize.
Both propositions are denied by the claimants. We shall consider them in their order.
First, then, was the port of New Orleans under blockade at the time of the capture ?
The city of. New Orleans, and the forts commanding its approaches from the Gulf, w,ere captured during the last days of April, 1862, and military possession of the city was taken on the 1st of May. Did this capture of the forts and military occupation of the city terminate the blockade of the port ?
' The object of blockade is to destroy the commerce of the enemy, and cripple his resources by arresting the import of supplies and the export of products. It may be made effectual by batteries ashore as well as by ships afloat. In the case of an inland port, the. most effective blockade would be maintained by batteries commanding the river or inlet by which it may be approached,- supported by a naval force sufficient to warn off innocent, and capture offending vessels attempting to enter.
The capture of the forts, then, did not terminate the blockade of New Orleans, but, -on the contrary, made it more complete and absolute.
Was it terminated by the military occupation of the city?
The blockade of the ports of the insurgent States was declared from the first by the American Government to be a blockade of the whole coast, and so it has been understood by all governments. The blockade of New Orleans was a part of this general blockade. It applied not to the city alone, but controlled the- port, which includes the whole parish of Orleans, and lies on both sides of the Mississippi, and all the ports on that river and on the lakes east of the city.
Now, it may be well enough conceded that a continuous and complete possession of the city and the port, and of the approaches from the Gulf, would make a blockade unnecessary, and would supersede it. But, at the. time of the capture of the Circassian, there had been no such possession. Only the city was occupied, not the port, much less the district of country commercially dependent upon it, and blockaded by its blockade. Even the city had been occupied only three days.. It was yet hostile; the rebel army was in the neighborhood; the occupation, limited and recent, was subject to ah the vicissitudes of war: Such an occupation could not at once, of itself, supersede or suspend the blockade. It might ripen into a possession which would have that effect, and it did; but at the time of the capture it operated only in 'aid and completion of the naval investment.
[There is a distinction between simple and public blockades which supports this conclusion. A 'simple blockade may be established by a naval officer, acting upon his own discretion or under direction of superiors, without governmental notification; while a public blockade is uot only established in fact, but is notified, by the government directing it, to other Governments. In the case of a simple blockade, the captors Are hound to prove its existence at'the time of capture; while in-the case of a public blockade,.the claimants are held to .proof of discontinuance in order fo protec themselves from the penalties of attempted violation. The blockade of the rebel ports was and is of the latter sort. It was legally established and regularly notified by the American' Government to the neutral governments. Of such blockade, it was well observed by Sir William Scott: " It must be conceived to exist till the revocation of it is actually nótified." The blockade of the rebel ports, therefore, must be presumed to have continued until notification of discontinuance.
It is, indeed, the duty- of tbe belligérent government to give prompt notice; and if it fails to do so, proof of discontinuance may be otherwise mtide; but, subject to just responsibility to other nations, it must judge for itself wben it can dispense witb blockade. It must decide wben tbe object of blockade, namely, prevention of commerce witb enemies, can be .attained by military force, or, wben tbe enemies are rebels, by military force and municipal law, without tbe aid of a blockading force. -The Government of tbe United States acted on these views. Upon advice óf tbe capture of New Orleans, it decided that tbe blockade of tbe port; might be safety dispensed witb, except as to contraband of war, from' and after the 1st of June.' Tbe President, therefore, on the 12th of May, issued bis proclamation to that effect, and its terms were undoubtedly notified to neutral powers. This, action of tbe Government must, under tbe circumstances of this case, be held to be conclusive evidence that tbe blockade of New Orleans was not terminated by military occupation on the'4tb of May. New Orleans, therefore, was under blockade wben the Circassian was captured.
It remains to be considered whether tbe ship and cargo were then liable to capture as prize for attempted violation of that blockade.
• It is a well-established principle of prize law, as administered by tbe courts, both of the United States and Great Britain, that sailing from a neutral port witb intent to enter a blockaded port, and witb knowledge of tbe existence' of tbe blockade, subjects tbe vessel and, in most cases, its cargo to capture and condemnation. We are entirety satisfied witb this rule. It was established,, witb some hesitation, wben sailing vessels were tbe only vehicles of ocean commerce; but now, when steam and electricity have made all nations neighbors, and blockade running from neutral ports seems to have been organized as a business, and almost raised to a profession, it is clearly seen to be indispensable to -the efficient exercise of belligerent rights; It is not likely to be abandoned.until the nations, by treaty, shall • consent to abolish capture of private property .on the seas, and with it the whole law and practice of commercial blockade.
Do the Circassian and her cargo come within this rule ?
The Circassian was chartered at Paris on the 11th of February, 1862, by Z. C. Pearson & Co. to J. Soubry, agent, and the charter-party' contained a- stipulation that she should proceed to Havre qr Bordeaux, and, being loaded, proceed thence with her cargo to -Havana, -Nassau, or Bermuda, and thence to a.port in America and " run the blockade,, if so ordered by the freighters." "With this charter-party was found on the ship, at the time of capture, a memorandum, of affreightment given to Bouvet, one. of the shippers, and signed "For account and witli authority of J. Soubry,— Laibert, Neveu," and containing this engagement: " Mr. J. Soubry engages to execute the charter-party of affreightment; that-is to say, that the merchandise shall not be dis-' embarked except at New Orleans, and to this effect he engages.to force the,blockade." With this paper was the' following note, signed " P. Desbordes" Sent similar memorandum to thé forties concerned." This P. Desbordes was the ship's husband or agent at Bordeaux.
It is urged, on behalf of the claimants, that there is no evidence that Laibert had authority to act for Soubry; but the fact that the paper was found on the ship raises a jire-sumption that he had that authority, ánd puts the burden of proof 'to the contrary on the ^claimants. Besides, it appears, from a letter written by Bouvet, that he forwarded by the ship, inclosed with this letter, the bills of lading of the goods shipped by him, and also " a copy of the charter-party and private memorandum,." It can hardly be doubted that the copy of the charter-party in the record is this copy forwarded by Bouvet, or that the memorandum found with it is the private memorandum of which he writes. The éircumstanee that .a similar memorandum was .sent to. the parties con cerned raises an almost irresistible presumption that the other, freighters shipped their merchandise un'der the same express stipulation'to force.the blockade.
It is hardly necessary to go further on the question of intent ; but if doubt .remained, it would be dispelled by an examination of the other papers and facts in the case. Every bill of lading contained a stipulation for the conveyance of goods described in it to Havana,fin order to receive orders as to their ulterior destination, and for their delivery at that destination on payment of freight.- Such, we think, is the true import of each bill before.us. Almost every letter found on board the ship and contained in the record, affords evidence of intent to force the blockade. These letters were written, at' Bordeaux, to correspondents at Havana and New Orleans, and speak of the steamer as "loaded entirely with our products for New Orleans;" as " arrived hither a month since, to convey to your place, New Orlearis, by forcing the blockade, a very fine cargo;" as " loaded in our port for New Orleans, whither'she will proceed after touching at Havana;" as "being a very fast sailer;" as " going to attempt the entrance of your river, after previously touching at Havana;" as "bound to your port, New Orleans;" as "bound from Bordeaux to New Orleans;" and as "having engaged.to force the blockade." Most of these, letters were written by shippers, and relate to merchandise described in one-or another of the bills of lading. Finally, it is proved that on the eve, and almost at the moment, of capture, the captain ordered the destruction of a..package of letters put on board the ship, after she had cleared from Bordeaux, at Panillac, a town on the Gironde, nearer the sea. These letters, doubtless, related 1p the ship, the. cargo, or the voyage, probably to all. ' Their destruction would be a strong circumstance against the ship and cargo, were the other facts.less convincing; taken in connection with them, it irresistibly compels belief of guilty intent at the time of sailing, and time of capture.
It was urged in argument that the ship was bound primarily to Havana, and might discharge her cargo there, and should not be held liable to capture for an intent which would have been abandoned on her arrival at that place.
We agree, that if the ship had been going to Havana with an honest intent to ascertain whether the blockade of New Orleans yet remained in force, and with no design to proceed further if. such should prove to be the case, neither ship nor cargo would have-been subject to lawful seizure. But it is manifest that such was- not the intent. The existence of the blockade was known' at the inception of the voyage, and its discontinuance was not expected. The vessel was chartered and her cargo shipped with the purpose of forcing the blockade. The destination to Havana was merely coloi'able.- It proves nothing beyond a mere purpose to touch at that port, perhaps, .and, probably, with the expectation of getting information which would facilitate the success of the unlawful undertaking. It is quite possible that Havana, under the circumstances, would have turned out to be, as. was insisted in argument, a locus penilenlice ; but a place for repentance does not prove repentance before the place is reached. It is quite possible that the news which would have met the vessel. at Havana would have induced the master and shippers to abandon their design- to force the blockade by ascending the Mississippi; but future possibilities cannot change present conditions. Nor is it at all certain that the purpose to break the blockade would have been abandoned. On the contrary, it is, quite possible that the, "ulterior destination" mentioned in the bills of lading would have been changed to some other blockaded port. But this is not important. Neither possibilities nor probabilities could change the actual intention one way or another. At the time of capture, ship and cargo were on their way to New Orleans, under contract that the cargo should be discharged there and not elsewhere, and that the blockade should be forced in order to the fulfilment of that contract. This condition made ship and cargo then and there lawful prize.
There was some, attempt, in argument, to distinguish that •portion of the cargo shipped by "William Burrows from the remainder. "We dp not think it can be so distinguished. The bill of lading of the goods shipped by him is expressed in the same terms as the bills of goods shipped by others, and Burrows himself states that he received it from P. Des-bordes & Co., — the same Desbordes who sent " to the other parties" memorandums similar to that which was given to Bouvet, and which stipulated for breach of blockade.- There is no indication in the bill of lading that any one. except Burrows had any interest in these goods, and no testimony except his own to that effect. Against the strong circumstances which tend to prove that they were in equal fault with all -the rest, his not very unequivocal statement, that they were destined for sale in Havana, cannot prevail.
The decree of the District Court, condemning the vessel and cargo as lawful prize, must be
Affirmed.
The Betsey, Goodhue, Master, 1 Robinson, 282; The Neptune, Id. 144.
Yeaton v. Fry, 5 Cranch, 335; 1 Kent's Commentaries, 150 ; The Frederick Molke, 1 Robinson, 72; The Columbia, 1 Id. 130; The Neptune, 2 Id. 94.