“BOOTLEG” SCHOONERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 241, 25 September 1922, Page 2

“BOOTLEG” SCHOONERS.

LIQUOR-RUNNING ON HIGH SEAS. HUNT FOR THE MINNIE WALLACE A cable published in the “Tribune” yesterday stated that the British Government is asking information about seizures of British shipping outside the three-mile limit, by the American Prohibition Navy, on charges of alleged attempted smuggling. The following report of the London “Times’ ” New York correspondent may be read in amplification of the cable. The London "Times’ ” correspondent’s report is dated August 7th, and reads: — New York’s “Prohibition Navy,” consisting of an ex-submarine chaser engaged in combating liquor smuggling in the neighbourhood of the port, put to sea this morning, says the “NewYork Times,” with orders to arrest the British schooner Minnie Wallace, whether she was found in territorial waters or not. The prohibition authorities state that they have evidence that the Minnie Wallace sold one hundred cases of whisky to smugglers, w ho were captured in trying to land it in NewYork Harbour on Sunday night. .The prohibition authorities are particularly aroused over this case, since, following the handing over of the one hundred cases to the police, sixty-five ot them are stated to have disappeared, lhe craft hunting the Minnie Wallace is armed with one-pounder guns, rifles, and shot-guns. Mr. William Sanders, Deputy Surveyor of the Port of NeU’ York, stated to-day that the Government was determined. in the event of the Minnie Wallace being captured on the high seas, to make a test case of the incident in order to ascertain whether a vessel may not be seized when it can be proved she is used for the purpose of violating the laws of the United States. [The United States, since the passage of the prohibition laws, has sought to extend the right of search beyond the three-mile limit of territorial waters. It is notorious that British, and other, “rum-runners” lie twelve to fifteen miles off the Atlantic coast and transfer their cargoes to adventurous American small craft, which as a rule evade the prohibition blockade. In March last the U.S. AttorneyGeneral announced proceedings as a Lest case, against the British schooner Grace and Ruby, which was detained at Boston as a liquor smuggler In that instance, however, it was alleged that though the schooner, when seized >vas four miles off the shore, a I ar 8 e consignment of liquor from her hold was landed in her own small boats. Last month the United States Government addressed a Note to the British Government suggesting co-operation m measures to restrain liquor running from British possessions into the United States. It was stated then that the situation was rapidly passing out of control by purely American means. So. tar it is believed, no action has been taken by the British Government in response to the American Note. It may he recalled that in August of last year a vessel flying the British flag, hovering over the three-mile limit and bv open signal inviting private individuals to come and fetch liquor, was seized, but bv peremptory orders of the United States Ministry of Justice was released. At the same time it was announced that a statute would be introduced to give the U.S. Revenue and Customs authorities jurisdiction to act within a twelve-mile belt of water from the coast.]