CO129-515-1 Piracy- legal proceedings arising from sinking of S.S. 'IRENE' 18-1-1929 - 6-9-1929 — Page 27

entitled to take action with a view to roleasing

the ship from the miscreants who have taken

possession of her and bringing them to trial)

is ono which I cannot think can really commend

itself to Your zxcellency. The argument appearS

to be that the action of overpowering the offleers,

seizing the vessel and subsequently looting her

and robbing her passengers does not amount to

piracy jure gentium, though li the pirates were

to make use of the osptured ship in order to

enable them to attack another vessel this would

indisputably do so. The only authority cited

in support of thie proposition, apart from

certain "eminont juriste" who are neither

named nor quoted, is the Vorzittee of Experts

of the League of Nations for the Progressive

Codification of International Law, and I wish

to make it plain at once that that distinguished

body cannot be

quoted in support of any such

thesis. In their deport, dated January 29th.

1926 the Committee of Experts communicated to the

League

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