DECLARATION OF LONDON.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 114, 6 July 1911, Page 4

DECLARATION OF LONDON.

Under Iho Declaration of London various mutual concessions arc made regard to contraband. Under its terms food supplies become “conditional” contraband, and may only lie captured if destined for the use of tin' armed forces or a Government department of the enemy State. The destruction of neutral mazes or o' i iioir cargo is. not permitted, unless it can be instilled bv reason of “ex-

/■optional necessity.” The Declaration lias evoked strong criticism in England. The London Chamber of Commerce appointed a special committee to consider the matter, and on November 14th, 1910, adopted the committee’s report. This report stated that the committee had considered the question mainly from the commercial and national standpoint, and had almost unanimously come to the conclusion to recommend that the Declaration of London should net ho ratified in its present form, or bo made effective by the passing of the Naval Prize Bill then before Parliament. The Committee submitted this recommendation for the following amongst other reasons:—(a) That the effect of Lire Declaration is to alter the Law of Nations, as hitherto maintained, in a manner entirely unprecedented, and to expose to capture or deliberate destruction food supplies borne tn any port of Great Britain in neutral vessels; (b) that the absence (if any provision in the Declaration for preventing the conversion of commercial vessels into commerce destroyers ■m the high seas constitutes a valid reason for praying His Majesty’s Government to decline to ratify Lie Declaration, or to proceed with the Naval Prise Bill; (c) that the admission or the principle of the destruction of neutral prizes would be in the highest degree prejudicial to the interest of this country. The committee therefore recommend that, in view of these conclusionc, the Council of the London Chamber of Commerce should make the strongest representations to the Secretary of State. The committee considered that the Declaration appeared to have boon framed without sufficient regard to the fundamental differ once of Great Britain (an island without neutral ports to fall back upon), which has to import most of its. food supplies by sea, and that of Continental countries (connected with various neutral ports), which are ’ irgely self-supporting. The committee were of opinion that the Declaration would impair the Nation’s strength in time of war, and that, by gravely imperilling our neutral food supply, its effect might be a verv serious increase in the cost of food, with dangerous consequences.