RUM BOAT SEIZURE

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 August 1928, Page 10

RUM BOAT SEIZURE

APOLOGIES TO BRITAIN

SAN FRANCISCO, July 23

Once again the American Government has been forced to apologise to Groat Britain for lawless acts of the coastguard prohibition enforcement personnel, for Secretary of State Kellogg has announced that the United States, in a note to the British Government, has expressed regret for the violation of the sovereignty of the Bahamas Islands on September 7, 1927, by Larry Christiansen, coastguard boatswain and commandant of a rumchasing patrol boat. In addition to apologising, Mr Kellogg registered a promise that the coastguard would not violate British territorial waters again. He also promised that Christiansen would be removed to another section of the country, that the rum boats and the liquor would be returned to their owners and that prisoners arrested at the time of the seizure would be released.

Christiansen, it was admitted, seized two American-owned rum-running boats off the Bahamas coast, towed them into a Bermuda port in violation of the sovereignty of that country and then committed another law violation hy removing the liquor and prisoners to Miami.

Shortly after the boats were seized last September the British Government. charged that some of the liquor captured by Christiansen had been stolen, and arrested Charles “Pop” |4distle h American fugitive from justice, who had aconipanied Christiansen on his illegal expedition. Nestle was sent, to gaol when part of the seized liquor was found in his possession. After this trial the British authorities at Nassau demanded that Christiansen he handed over to them for trial on charges of larceny. The American Government at. first demurred. Later it agreed that, possibly some investigation should be made of Christiansen’s activities with Nestle. Eventually in order to settle this matter, Mr Kellogg reached an

agreement with Si. - Esmc Howard, oi? .July 17, under which Ihc- I’.ahaman authorities will hand over all evidence they have against Christiansen to the Slate Donnrtmenl in Washington. Some of this evidenct! has already arrived and it has been given to the Department of Justice for possible penal action.