THE I’M ALONE CASE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 104, 2 April 1929, Page 6

THE I’M ALONE CASE.

The sinking of the schooner I’m Alone is not likely to develop into . anything more than a matter calling for complaint by Canada Tor the treatment of her nationals, with a demand, possibly, for compensation. But the sinking of the vessel itself is a matter of more than passing significance, if, as contended by certain United States officials, the coastguard officials were justified in sinking the vessel, then it is not an exaggeration to say that they would be within their rights in chasing a suspected rum running vessel across tfie Atlantic and shelling it many hundreds of miles from United States territorial waters. On the face of it such a contention could never be upheld. Apparently, the convention between the United States and Great Britain under which the territorial limits were extended to twelve miles never provided for the shelling or sinking of any vessel of a registry within the Empire, but only tfiat such vessels should be boarded for enquiry purposes and if deemed advisable seized and taken into port. This being so it is not uniair to assume tnat the shelling and sinking 1 of the I'm Alone was an act which does not 'redound to the credit of the American officials, apart from the fact that the vessel was supposedly a notorious rum runner. In view of these circumstances it is not surprising that “conversations” are proceeding between Washington, Ottawa and London, though it is, as stated, unlikely that they will lead to anything of a serious nature.