§ Sir GEORGE SCOTT ROBERTSONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he was aware that Russia in the war with Japan destroyed five neutral ships which her own courts subsequently found were not liable to condemnation, at the same time exonerating the naval officers concerned on the ground that suspicion justified their action; and, if the Declaration of London were ratified, would it be possible for any neutral ship to be destroyed on suspicion, or under Provision 49 of the Declaration of London, unless the vessel were also guilty of breach of blockade, or of unneutral service, or of carrying a cargo more than half of which was contraband.
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe facts stated in the first part of the question are correct. Under Article 49 of the Declaration of London, the destruction of a neutral prize could not under any circumstances be justified, unless she had been engaged in breach of blockade, or in unneutral service, or in the carriage of contraband exceeding in amount half her cargo, or had forcibly resisted the legitimate exercise of the belligerent right of search.
§ Sir GEORGE SCOTT ROBERTSONIs it a fact that ships liable to condemnation are ships that practically have become the property of the captors, and if therefore the captors sink and destroy them they are destroying their own property?