SEIZING OF BARQUE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 188, 11 August 1941, Page 2

SEIZING OF BARQUE

RIGHT UNDER EARLY LAW

EXERCISED BY LOUIS XIV

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sunday. "There is another right to seize ships in war which is rather interesting, but quite different from taking as a prize," said the AttorneyGeneral, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, in commenting on the seizure of the Finnish barque Pamir by the Customs authorities. "It is a right called that of angary—namely, to seize the ships of neutrals, either permanently or temporarily, and impress them for purposes of war. In such a case the owners have to be compensated for their loss. It is not in any way akin to forfeiture, and may be better compared with the taking of land under the Public Works Act for public purposes. "The interesting point about it. however, is that it extends not merely to the ships on the register of the country exercising the power, but to ships of other nations that may happen to be within the territorial waters of the nation exercising the power. This is also quite an ancient right, and is said to have been frequently exercised by Louis XIV. of France." The crew of the Pamir, which includes 14 Finns and several New Zealanders, has been allowed ashore in Wellington.