The second one I have just received as the mail is closing, and have
therefore no time to translate it. I shall, however, send full
translation by next mail, and trust the delay will not be an
inconvenience.
Inasmuch as in the first notice it states that the United States and
Spanish Governments had already been notified (presumably from The
Hague) I did not cable.
The principal points of No. 2 are:
The above are roughly translated only, the minor technical points being
omitted; they will be in full in the translation which I shall send.
[From the Javasche Courant, April 26, 1898.]
When war broke out between Spain and the United States of North
America, the Government of the Netherlands notified the belligerent
powers of its intention to observe the strictest neutrality in this
war.1
[Page 891]
The government of the Dutch East Indies reminds the inhabitants of
said Indies, and, so far as may be necessary, those who are in
foreign countries, that they must abstain from any act that, being
in violation of the laws of the mother country or of this colony, or
of international law, might be considered as hostile to one of the
belligerent powers or as not in harmony with strict neutrality.
It is enjoined upon them to respect an effective blockade and other
measures of the belligerent powers that do not violate the laws of
war, and to submit to the same, and they are not allowed to recruit
soldiers or sailors for the armies and navies of said powers, to
assist in the equipment of their war ships, or to supply or convey
transports and contraband of war for them, or to engage in
privateering or in the purchase and sale of booty.
The government warns them that they may rely upon its protection and
intervention only in case they, on their part, carefully refrain
from any violation of the duties of neutrals; whereas if they
neglect these duties, they render themselves liable to damages,
difficulties, and prosecutions by the courts of the Netherlands, of
the Dutch East Indies, or of foreign countries.
The goverment, in conclusion, calls the attention of the inhabitants
of the Dutch East Indies to article 100 of the Penal Code of the
Netherlands, to articles 47 and 48 of the Penal Code in the Dutch
East Indies for Europeans, and to articles 50 and 51 of the same
code for natives.
[From the Javasehe Courant, April 29, 1898.]
According to information received from the minister of the colonies,
the Government of Spain and that of the United States of North
America will adhere, during the war which has just broken out, to
points 2, 3, and 4 of the declaration of Paris of April 16, 1856,
and there will be no privateering for the present.
Points 2, 3, and 4 of the aforesaid declaration are as follows:
- (2)
- The neutral flag protects the enemy’s goods, except
contraband of war.
- (3)
- Neutral goods, except contraband of war, are not subject
to seizure under the enemy’s flag.
- (4)
- Blockades, to be binding, must be effective, i. e.,
maintained by a force sufficient to render approach to the
enemy’s coast really dangerous.
According to a communication from the minister of the colonies,
information has been received from the Spanish Government that
access to the ports of the Philippines is possible only with the
help of the coast pilots who are available there, because there is a
possibility that the beacons have been removed and the coast lights
extinguished.
In pursuance of instructions received from the governor-general, the
(colonial) secretary-general notifies all whom it may concern that,
for the maintenance of the strict neutrality during the war between
Spain and the United States of North America which is mentioned in
the warning contained in the Javasche Courant of April 26, 1898, the
following rules have been laid down:
- (1)
- No vessels of war or privateers belonging to a belligerent
power shall be permitted to enter the ports or channels of
the Dutch East Indies with prizes, or to remain there or in
the roadsteads, except in cases of evident distress, such as
disaster suffered at sea and lack of provisions. They shall
leave at once when the cause of their stay has
ceased.
- (2)
- The sale, exchange, or donation of any prizes or of
articles that have belonged thereto, and of goods that have
been captured, is prohibited in the ports or channels of the
Dutch East Indies. Further, the unrigging and the sale of
vessels of war or cruisers of the belligerents are
prohibited in the aforesaid ports, and also the unrigging
and sale of privateers (provided that the latter are
admitted).
- (3)
- Privateers, even without prizes, shall not be permitted to
enter the ports or channels of the Dutch East Indies, except
in the cases mentioned sub numero 1, the concluding portion
of which is applicable to them. They shall not be allowed to
take in more provisions than are required for their
immediate use; they may take in only as much coal as is
necessary to supply their wants for twenty-four hours; and
so far as the same vessel is concerned, not more than once
in three months.
- (4)
- The vessels of war of the belligerent parties shall,
provided that they submit to the rules of international law
which govern their admission to neutral ports, be allowed to
remain for not more than forty-eight hours, and not more
than two vessels of each belligerent party shall be allowed
to remain at the same time in ports of the Dutch East
Indies; they shall be allowed to procure provisions and such
quantity of coal as they may require to reach the nearest
port of the country to which the ship belongs. No assistance
shall, however, be rendered such vessels for making repairs
or improvements, nor shall any materials necessary for such
purposes be furnished to them.
- (5)
- When vessels of the belligerent parties (whether vessels
of war, privateers, or merchantmen) are simultaneously in
the same port, roadstead, or in the territorial waters of
the Dutch East Indian possessions, a period of at least
twenty-four hours must elapse between the departure of a
vessel belonging to one belligerent party and the subsequent
departure of a vessel belonging to the other party. This
period of time may be extended by the port authorities
according to circumstances.
- (6)
- The furnishing of arms or ammunition to vessels of war of
the belligerent parties is prohibited, and it is further
prohibited to render them assistance in any way in
increasing their crews, armament, or equipment.
A. D. H. Heringa,
Secretary-General.
Buitenzorg, April 28,
1898.