CONTRABAND OF WAR

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14352, 26 January 1911, Page 5

CONTRABAND OF WAR

THE DECLARATION OF LONDON. I'ross Association —By Tel.—Copyright. LONDON i .Jan. 24. Lord Invorclydu, a leading shipowner, addressing the Shipowners*' Association at Glasgow, asked whether the Government's desire to ratify tho Declaration of Loudon was not. equivalent to an admission that bhtt Navy was unable to protect tlio trade routes. Admiral Wilson was too «niiguine regarding the impossibilities of invasion. Britain was entitled to command the sea commercially, and tho Navy must be equalto any newtßity.' Admiral Fromantle condemns tsio Declaration, believing that none of tho signatories would obsorvo it in war time.' An International Court could have no. power to enforce its decisions. Ha is also of opinion that the new blockade rules would much hamper British naval oommandere. WHAT MANCHESTER SAYS Received 1.30 a.m., Jan. 26th. LONDON, Jan. 25. The "Manchester Guardian" regards the Declaration as an unwise and mean abandonment of the principle which England had defended for n. century,'namely, that the onus of prooflay with the captor, while the Declaration lays tile burden on the owner. If tho Declaration can be made binding, it will be as . easy to eecure prohibition of capture of private property altogether. England has two courses, either to make the sea in»wartime British territory, involving enormous cost, or to secure complete freedom of tho seas to commerce. A GERMAN OPINION. Received 9.58 p.m., Jan. 25th. LONDON, Jan. 25. Some newspapers announce that tho ratification of th-e Declaration of London will be postponed till the Imperial Conference has discussed it. . The "Berlin Post" declaTe9 that the campaign against the Declaration, reqnires the Foreign. Powers to reckon with the peril that will arise if ratification is refused, and the old privateering rights are reaffirmed. Tlie "Post" adds that the recent British naval manoeuvres showed that the sao rifle© of the enemy's fleet would make possible the almost complete destruction of the British mercantile marine, and such a. crippling of the mercantile marine would perpetually jeopardise British supremacy in the shipping trade. CANADA'S ATTITUDE. The " Daily Mail's* Ottawa correspondent reports that: owing to meagre despatches the Declaration of London has attracted little attention, but that the general opinion is that the Dominions should not be overlooked in a t matter of this kind. ' Sir W. Laurier says he has not studied the matter, and before he cornea to a definite decision, Government experts will analyse the . Declaration. .. . The South Australian interviewed, said the Declaration ought not to be ratified without due discus-