NAVAL WARFARE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14586, 24 January 1911, Page 5

NAVAL WARFARE.

DECLARATION OF LONDON.

THE. AUSTRALIAN PROTEST.

By Telegraph. Association.-Copyright

(Received January 23, 11 p.m.)

London, January 23. The Daily Mail says that Australia's protest against the declaration of London, which formulates new laws for naval warfare, is merely a foretaste of the opposition that will come from every quarter of the Empire when the real inwardness of the new code of war and its Imperial .menace was revealed.

The' dominions' had been overlooked throughout, and no provision had been made for the appointment of their judges, though Greece, Columbia, and Uruguay had been given the right to nominate one judge each in various . years. . .

The Mail points , out that the shipping of the, Dominions is - the sixth in the shipping world, and asks why should Australia and New Zealand be treated as inferior States in civilisation to Columbia 1 ? ''

The Daily Chronicle says that the declaration is of trahcendent importance and immense complexity. Article 34 was decidedly ambiguous. If -Articles 33 and 34 had been as explicit as. Sir Edward' Grey's letter to the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce there would be no ground for misconception: ' It was a great gain for raw material, for nearly all Britain's industries were not declarable as contraband. .. .

Capetown, January 23. The Cape Times says that it is not surprised that Australia has protested against the Declaration, and recommends the South African Union Government to consider the matter. It points out that bullion may be treated as conditional contraband, and be liable to seizure. A South African " gold shipment, often amounting to . a million , and a-half, would offer a tempting prize to a raiding cruiser.

The .Foreign Office, replying to - the communications received from the Loudon Chamber of Commerce and - other chambers, protesting against the Declaration of London, drew attention to the improvements that would be .«effected if the declaration were ratified. Neutral vessels would no longer be sunk except under stringent and carefully guarded conditions, and food supplies would never again be declared absolute contraband of war. If the rules of the declaration were improperly observed or harshly interpreted by the belligerents in the prize courts, an Appeal would be allowed to the -International Arbitration Tribunal at The Hague, and it could be trusted to give redress.