RUM-BOAT SEIZURE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 226, 22 August 1928, Page 2

RUM-BOAT SEIZURE.

APOLOGIES TO BRITAIN,

LAWLESS ACTION OF COAST-

GUARD

SAN FRANCISCO, July 23. Once again the American Government has been forced to apologise to Great Britain for lawless acts of tiro coastguard prohibition enforcement personnel, for Secretary of State Kellogg lias 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 rum-chasing 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 Christianson would he removed to another section of the country, that the rum boats and liquor would be returned to their owners and that the prisoners arrested at the time of the seizure would bo 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 tho sovereignty of that country and then committed another law violation by removing the liquor and prisoners to Miami. Shortly after tho boats were seized last September the British Government charged that some of the liquor captured by Christiansen had been stolen and arrested Charles “Pop Nestle, an American fugitive from justice, who had accompanied Christiansen oil his illegal expedition. Nestle was sent to gaol when part of tho seized liquor was found in his possession. After this trial the British authorities at Nassau demanded that Christiansen bo handed over to them for trial on charges of larceny. Tho American Government at first demurred. Later it agreed that possibly some investigation should bepnade of Christiansen’s activities with Nestle. Eventually, in order •to settle this matter, Mr Kellogg reached ail agreement with Sir Esme Howard on July 17 under which tire Baliaman authorities will hand over all evidence they have against Christiansen to the State Department in Washington. Some of this evidence has already arrived and it has been given to the Department of Justice for possible penal action.