§ MR. CARNEGIEsaid, he wished to ask Mr. Attorney General or Mr. Solicitor General, Whether, in the existing state of affairs in America, it is contrary to International Law to consign arms, ammunition, or medicines to the ports of Quebec, Nassau, Matamoras, and Havana, or any one of them; and whether a vessel bound to any of the above-mentioned ports containing such articles would be liable to condemnation by a Prize Court?
THE SOLICITOR GENERALsaid, in reply, that it was somewhat strange that the hon. Member should think it necessary to ask a Question which had been asked and answered over and over again in that House. He should have thought everybody must be aware that the consignment to the four ports named, or to any other neutral port, of the articles enumerated, providing it were a real and bonâ fide consignment, actually intended to be delivered at those ports, would not expose the vessel, having them on board to condemnation by a Prize Court. He considered it necessary to say, that he thought there was some danger of persons deceiving themselves by such questions as these. The most familiar principle of public law was what he had stated, and the Prize Courts in America would answer the question put exactly as he had answered, t. The question for their decision always was as to the application of the law to a particular case, and whether, as a matter of 175 fact, the goods were bonâ fide to be delivered at one of these ports. He was not aware of any case in which the Prize Courts of America had claimed to lay down any new principle upon this subject.