Mr. Choate to Mr. Hay.
London, February 24, 1900.
(Mr. Choate reports that Lord Salisbury says the Sabine, which is a British vessel, was stopped and examined at Port Elizabeth charged with violating municipal law, trading with the enemy; she was also suspected of having actual contraband aboard, which suspicion was not pressed. Ship’s papers were not in proper form; goods were found on board, which, though shipped to ports this side, were marked for persons residing in Boer territory. The naval authorities looked upon the case as a very suspicious one under municipal law, but, as the evidence was not very complete, they gave the vessel the benefit of the doubt, and she pursued her voyage after a short detention.
Mr. Choate expressed the hope that no more such seizures would be made, representing the great prejudice to established trade from occurrences of this character.)