A DEAD LETTER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 12, 28 December 1925, Page 7

A DEAD LETTER

TREATMENT OF ENEMY MERCHANTAIEN. 11 AGUE CONVENTION DENOUNCED. London, Dec. 25. As its purpose appears to have wholly failed, the sixth convention of The Hague relative to the status of enemy merchantmen at the outbreak of hostilities, is denounced by the British Government in a despatch to His Alajesty’s representatives abroad signed by Sir Austen Chamberlain. The despatch says the object of the convention was to introduce uniformity of practice into treatment by belligerent states of enemy merchantmen in foreign parts on the outbreak of war. These were appropriated by the Governments concerned, which was difficult to reconcile with the attitude of the Powers at The Hague in 1907. and with the provisions of the convention. Owing +o the decision of the Privy Council, th G British Government was debarred from adopting a similar practice. The despatch concludes by pointing out that of the Powers signatory to the convention 17 failed to ratify it Germany and Russia, ratified with important reservations, and the United tates had not signed at all.—(Reuter) .