CO129-414 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [10-11] — Page 242

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, bus been a matter of engmón knowledge, if nol al poble en my Some time past that opinion on the China Coast and in Japan inchned The belief that Manila was being used by one of the belligerent powers base of supply. Arrivals from various ports told of the openly ex- Poured conviction that the spirit-if not the letter-of United States neu- rality was being tampered with, and it is interesting to find in a recent; amber of the Hongkong Daily Press that the subject is discussed with much good sense, and with none of the acrimony which has been reported. We reproduse in full what that paper has to say on the subject: ··

the time comes for a reconsideration of international practice in tim war, in the light of experience gained in the present mo- mentous conflict-a conflict that is making its effects felt throughout the world-one of the questions which will need to be discussed is that! relating to the obligations resting on neutral Powers to prevent their ports being made bases of supply for belligerent warships. During the past two months this subject has been forced upon public attention by the fact that four or Ave German cruisers have been roaming over the broad expanse of the southern seas between the Indian Ocean and the Polynesian Islands relying for their coal and other supplies on ships which must necessarily be despatched from some neutral port. For instance, we have seen the statement made that more than 33,000 tons of coal (not to mention great quantities of provisions) intended for the use of German warships, went out of Manila during the months of August and September. It is claimed that the Government of Manila was powerless to prevent the export of this cool inasmuch as the ships' papers did not show that the coal was intended for the use of ships engaged in the war. Let us examine this contention. Between August 8th and September 4th five ships one American (the io Pasig, now held as a prize in Hongkong) and four German slips left the port of Manila with coal amounting in the aggregate to 14,000 tons, their os- teasible destinations, according to the clearance papers, being Guam (under American jurisdiction), Menada (Java) and Bangkok, and at the present time, we understand, there are five German ships loaded with coal (12,800 tons) in Manila harbor, waiting, no doubt, for a favorable opportunity to leave. The Port Authorities at Manila cannot escape a suspicion that the whole of this coal was intended for German warships, but their attitude, we take it, is: "We cannot go behind the ships' papers which show that this coal is for neutral ports. It is up to Germany's enemy to capture or sink German ships wherever they may be on the high seas, while in the ease of a neutral ship, the Declaration of London lays it down that such a ship carrying conditional contra- band is liable to capture if she is found clearly out of the course. indicated by her papers and unable to give adequate reasons to justify such deviation." In short, the attitude of neutral port authorities would ssem to be: "If the ship's papers produced to us show that the ship bas iestructions to sail for another neutral port we have no justification for refusing her clearance." If that is the case, then it is clear that the Port Authorities in neutral territory ought in time of war to have their powers considerably enlarged. An obligation should rest upon them to do something more than this to satisfy themselves regarding the desti- nation of ships carrying cargo which either of the belligerents has dee- lared absolute or conditional contraband of war. It would not be too much to expect of neutral port authorities that they should require the captains of vessels loading contraband cargoes to furnish confirmation of their charters endorsed by a Consul residing at the specified port of destination; e. if the charter is for carrying coal from Manila to Bang- kok, confirmation by the American Consul at Bangkok should be neces- sary before clearance papers are granted to the ship. It is in their own interest that neutrel Powers should take some such measures. Оде result of what has been happening in Manila is that Australia has stopped the export of coal to the Philippine Islands, while the Japanese Gov- ernment, we understand, is now demanding that a deposit representing! double the value of the coal imported from Japan shall be made before) shipment is permitted, this cash deposit being released only on pro-s duction of certificates from the Japanese Consul in Manila that such coal has been delivered to bona-fide customers at the port. The objection | to this policy is that it imposes a heavy burden on the bona-fide customer.| while it is ineffective to prevent Japanese coal reaching the warships of the Power with which Japan, in common with England, France and Russia, is at war, because if the coal is urgently needed, any price will probably be paid for it. It might, of course, be said in answer to this t All arrang

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