No. 281.
Mr. Shishkin to Mr. Evarts.
[Translation.]
Legation of Russia,
Washington, August 8/20,
1877. (Received August 20, 1877.)
Mr. Secretary of State: I have the honor
herewith to transmit to you a printed copy of the new regulations
concerning the entrance and departure of vessels from some of our ports.
These have been rendered necessary by the exigencies of the defense of
our coasts during the present war.
I beg you, Mr. Secretary of State, to take such measures as you may think
proper for the purpose of bringing the contents of this document to the
knowledge of all whom it may concern, and I avail myself of this
occasion to renew to you the assurances, &c., &c.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
notice.
War having been declared the 12th of April, the arrival and sailing
of vessels from the port of Odessa, from the Liman (estuary) of the
Dnieper and the Bong, in the Strait of Kertch and in the Bay of
Sebastopol, is permitted only upon the following conditions, which,
although not foreseen by maritime international law, may occur at
present when the ports are protected by torpedo blockades, the
passage of which should remain secret.
- 1st.
- Every vessel upon arrival should stop outside the line of the
torpedo blockade, where Russian officers with their retinue will
meet it, and taking command of the said vessel will enter the
port after being convinced of the regularity of the ship’s
papers.
- 2d.
- The captain of the said vessel will engage in writing, as well
for himself as for his vessel and passengers, that while
crossing the barricades no person will remain on deck nor seek
to see, by the port-holes and scuttles, the route followed by
the vessel.
- 3d.
- The same course shall be absolutely observed at the sailing of
the vessels of commerce from port; that is, that the command of
the said vessel shall be assumed by a Russian officer with his
retinue, conformably to articles 1 and 2.
In case of the appearance of a cruiser of war in the places where it
is possible to observe the entrance and exit of vessels, the Russian
authorities will exact their withdrawal to a certain distance,
sufficiently long to effect the entrance or sailing of the vessel.
Until the accomplishment of this formality no vessel can enter or
leave. But at the same time the captains will be warned that it is
possible that the hostile cruisers of war may not be willing to
consent to this proposition, and may immediately begin hostilities;
in such case the vessels lying in the port and deprived thus of the
possibility of sailing, inevitably expose themselves to all the
danger of the enemy’s fire.
