SHIP SEIZED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23486, 25 October 1939, Page 9

SHIP SEIZED

VESSEL NOW IN SOVIET PORT GEBMAN PRIZE CBEW CONTRABAND IN CARGO By Telocraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received October 24, 5.8 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Oct. 23 The Tnss agency correspondent at Murmansk, the Russian Arctic port, announces that the United States freighter City of ITlint, of 4903 tons, has arrived at Kola Bay under the German flag and manned by a German crew, which had detained the American sailors on board. The City of Flint picked up some 200 survivors of the torpedoed British liner Athenia and landed them at New York. The Murmansk authorities have detained the ship and interned for the present the German crew. The correspondent adds that the Germans regarded the cargo of tractors, grain, fruit, leather and wax as contraband, and a cruiser halted the ship when she was en route from New York to Manchester. She was taken to Tromso (Norway) last Saturday, flying the German flag. Question of Contraband The United States Maritime Commission owns the ship, which is at present leased to the United States Lines. Officials of the commission believe the seizure of a neutral vessel carrying at least 61 per cent contraband is legal, providing the master knew the cargo was contraband. If it is found that contraband comprised less than half the cargo the United States will address both Russia and Germany demanding the release of the ship. Tractors, leather and wax are contraband, but not fruit and grain, tmless it can be proved they are destined for armed forces. There is some speculation whether the seizure of the City of Flint is a retaliation for Mr. Roosevelt'B banning of belligerent submarines. The State Department has asked the American Minister at Oslo and the Ambassador at Moscow to inquire into the circumstances of the seizure. It is expected that similar inquiries will be made in Berlin. Details o! Lading The Maritime Commission announces that the ship was carrying over 50 separate items typical of the usual cargo, including lard, cereals, canned meats, flour, apples, lubricating oil, cotton, sewing machines, ploughs, tractors, asphalt, pitch, grease, machinery, shade rollers, silk, commercial chemicals, abrasives, grains, disinfectants, ! feathers, rags, coffee, lumber, gauze, hair, and wallboard, totalling 5000 tons. Repercussions are expected in the Senate to-day, but -the New York Times Washington correspondent says political circles do not think it will aid the advocates of repeal of the arms embargo.

RUSSIA'S POSITION

CLARIFICATION LIKELY RELATIONS WITH GERMANY ACTION BY UNITED STATES (Received October 25, 12.50 a.m.) MONTREAL, Oct. 24 Professor Edward Corwin, professor of jurisprudence at Princeton University, declares the seizure of the City of Flint will lead to clarification of Russia's real relations with Germany. The point at issue is the taking of the vessel, supposedly neutral, to Murmansk. The United States may ask Russia for a statement of her position regarding warring nations. If If Russia maintains her neutrality the United States may protest and ask for the vessel's return. If Russia indicates she is a belligerent then vessels carrying contraband to Russia will be subject to British or French seizure. The question is, will Russia allow Germany to bring prizes of war into Russian ports ?

DENIES KNOWLEDGE

GERMAN ADMIRALTY LONDON, Oct. 24 The German Admiralty denies all knowledge of the seizure of the City of Flint. The United States Maritime Commission states that the ship was boarded on Saturday and was. taken to a Norwegian port. The American crew were not allowed to go ashore. The ship later left for the Russian port, which she entered without a Soviet pilot. It is not known whether the American crew was on board. The question that is being asked is: Why should the prize crew take the ship to a port where they knew they would be interned?

GERMAN LINER

NOT HELD BY AMERICA (Received October 21, 0.50 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 A United States Navy Department spokesman said the German liner Havellnnd was not in custody of any United States warship. Ho declined to'comment when asked whether sho was under surveillance. A message from San Jose, Costa Rica, on October 11, said a steamer flying no flag, apparently the German liner Havellnnd, of 6.'534 tons, disguised, was sighted off Cap Veins, on the Pacific Coast," lending credence to the belief that she might have turned raider or be preparing to fuel submarines. The Havclland left 'Punta Arenas, Costa Rica, on October 8 with 62,000 gallons of Diesel oil on board.