RUSSIA. To the commander-in-chief of the port of Cronstadt: His Imperial Highness the general admiral, foreseeing the possibility of ships belonging to the southern States of the American Union, which have seceded from the United States of North America, arriving at our ports during the present navigation, has directed me to inform your excellency, for your guidance, that, according to the opinion of the minister of foreign affairs, the flag of men-of-war belonging to the seceded States must not be saluted. That there may be no obstacle in the way of commerce, merchant vessels of the seceded States are to be treated according to the rules acted on by us with regard to Italian. merchant vessels sailing under the Italian flag; i. e., according to the treaties that are at present in force, (commercial treaty concluded between America and us, December 1, 1832.) Should the crews of vessels belonging to the seceded States not wish to acknowledge the authority of the consuls appointed by the federal government of Washington, then, in case of dispute, they must abide by the decision of our local authorities, in the same manner as foreigners whose governments have no representatives in our empire. General-Major GREIG, Director of the Chancellery of the Minister of Marine. CIRCULAR ADDRESSED TO THE CUSTOM-HOUSES ON THE WHITE, BALTIC, BLACK, AND AZOFF SEAS. By order of the minister of finance, the department of foreign trade prescribes, in case any merchant vessels arrive in our ports belonging to the southern States of the American Union, the same not acknowledging the authority of the government of the United States of America, the said vessels are to be treated and received as hitherto, according to the treaty of 1832, should even their ships' papers not be in order, which may occur in consequence of the present political condition of the United States of America. General-Lieutenant PASHKOFF, Director of the Department of Foreign Trade. NETHERLANDS. [Translation.] AT THE HAGUE. In obedience to the King's orders, the ministers for foreign affairs, of justice, and of the marine, present to the knowledge of all it may concern, that, to guard against probable difficulties during the doubtful complications in the United States of North America, no privateers under any flag soever, or provided with any commission or letters of marque, or their prizes, shall be admitted into our havens or seaports, unless in case of marine disaster, and that requisite orders be issued that under any circumstances such privateers and their prizes be required to go again to sea as speedily as possible. The ministers above named. [Translation.] THE HAGUE. The minister for foreign affairs and the minister of justice, by the King's authority, warn, by these presents, all inhabitants of the kingdom that, during the existing disturbances in the United States of America, they in no wise take part in privateering, because the Netherlands government has acceded to the declaration upon maritime rights set forth by the Paris conference of 1856, whereby, among other matters, privateering is abolished, and no recognition of commissions got for letters of marque permitted; also that commissions and letters of marque in conflict with the aforesaid prohibition, which may issue to inhabitants of the Netherlands, cannot have a lawful effect in behalf of the King's subjects or of any abroad who are in subjection to the laws of the kingdom. Those who, under such circumstances, engage in or lend their aid in privateering to other people, will be considered as pirates, and prosecuted according to law in the Netherlands, and subjected to the punishment provided for the commission of such offenses. The ministers above named. The minister for foreign affairs, apprised by a communication from the minister of marine that the King had authorized the naval force in the West Indies to be seasonably strengthened by his Majesty's steam-frigate Zealand and the screw-propellers Dyambi and Vesuvius, for the purpose of giving protection to the trade and navigation of the Netherlands during the contest which seems to be in existence in the United States of North America, wherever it may be desired, therefore esteems it to be his duty to direct the attention of shipmasters, consignees, and freighters to the peril to which their insurance against loss will be exposed by any violation of the obligations imposed on neutral powers to respect actual blockades, and not to carry contraband of war or dispatches of belligerents. In these cases they will be subject to all the resulting losses that may follow, without the benefit of any protection or intervention on the part of his Majesty's government. Of which take notice. The minister above named. PORTUGAL. [Translation.] PALACE OF NECESSIDADES, July 29, 1861. It being proper, in view of the circumstances at present existing in regard to the United States of America, to carry into effect the principles established in the declaration of Paris of April 16, 1856, made by the representatives of the powers that signed the treaty of peace of the 30th of March of that year, to which declaration my government acceded, and likewise for the same reason to adopt other measures which I deem opportune, I have been pleased, after hearing the council of state, to decree as follows: ARTICLE 1. In all the ports and waters of this kingdom, as well on the continent and in the adjacent islands as in the ultramarine provinces, Portuguese subjects and foreigners are prohibited from fitting out vessels destined for privateering. ARTICLE 2. In the same ports and waters referred to in the preceding article is, in like manner, prohibited the entrance of privateers and of the prizes made by privateers, or by armed vessels. The cases of overruling necessity, (força maior,) in which, according to the law of nations, hospitality is indispensable, are excepted from this regulation, without permission, however, being allowed, in any manner, for the sale of any objects proceeding, from prizes. The ministers and secretaries of state in all the departments will thus understand, and cause it to be executed. Countersigned: MARQUEZ DE LOULE. ALBERTO ANTONIO DE MORAES CARVALHO. VISCONDE DE SA DA BANDEIRA. CARLOS BENTO DA SILVA. THIAGO AUGUSTO VELLOSO DE HORTA. KING. ANTONIO JOSÉ D'AVILA. HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. PROCLAMATION OF THE KING OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS DECLARING THE NEUTRALITY OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS IN THE WAR BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOCALLED CONFEDERATE STATES. KAILUA, August 26, 1861. Be it known to all whom it may concern that we, Kamehameha IV, King of the Hawaiian Islands, having been officially notified that hostilities are now unhappily pending between the government of the United States and certain States thereof styling themselves "the Confederate States of America," hereby proclaim our neutrality between the said contending parties. That our neutrality is to be respected to the full extent of our jurisdiction, and that all captures and seizures made within the same are unlawful and in violation of our rights as a sovereign. And be it further known, that we hereby strictly prohibit all our subjects, and all who reside or may be within our jurisdiction, from engaging, either directly or indirectly, in privateering against the shipping or commerce of either of the contending parties, or of rendering any aid to such enterprises whatever; and all persons so offending will be liable to the penalties imposed by the laws of nations, as well as by the laws of said States, and they will in nowise obtain any protection from us as against any penal consequences which they may incur. Be it further known, that no adjudication of prizes will be entertained within our jurisdiction, nor will the sale of goods or other property belonging to prizes be allowed. Be it further known, that the rights of asylum are not extended to the privateers or their prizes of either of the contending parties, excepting only in cases of distress or of compulsory delay by stress of weather or dangers of the sea, or in such cases as may be regulated by treaty stipulation. Given at our marine residence of Kailua, this 26th day of August, A. D. 1861, and the seventh of our reign. ORDINANCE OF SENATE AGAINST PRIVATEERING, PUBLISHED JULY 4, 1861. [Translation.] The Senate finds it necessary, in regard to the events which have occurred in North America, to renew the regulations contained in its ordinance of April 29, 1854, and accordingly makes the following notification for general observance : 1. All subjects of the state of Bremen are forbidden, under severe penalties, both from meddling in any way with privateering and from taking part therein, either by fitting out privateers themselves, or contributing through others to the same. 2. The proper officers are ordered not on any account to allow the fitting out or provisioning of privateers, under whatever flag or carrying whatever letters of marque, in any port of the Bremen territory, nor to admit into a Bremen port any such privateers, or the prizes made by them, except in cases of proved stress of weather at sea. Resolved at Bremen, in the assembly of the Senate, on the 2d, and published on the 4th of July, 1861. HAMBURG. ORDINANCE AGAINST PRIVATEERING. [Translation.] On the occasion of the events which have taken place in the United States of North America, the Senate reminds the public that, according to the notification of July 7, 1856, relative to the declaration of the Congress of Paris on the application of maritime law in time of war, privateering is entirely abolished; and therefore it is prohibited to engage in any way in privateering, or to take part in it either in fitting out privateers or by assisting others to do so. The proper orders have also been issued not to allow in Hamburg ports the fitting out or provisioning of privateers, under whatever flag or furnished with whatever letters of marque, and not to admit into Hamburg ports or roadsteads any such privateers, with or without prizes, except in cases of proved stress of weather at sea. Given in the assembly of the Senate, Hamburg, July 19, 1861. APPENDIX No. V. BRITISH PROCLAMATIONS OF NEUTRALITY. I. SPAIN AND SPANISH AMERICA. A proclamation prohibiting his Majesty's natural-born subjects from serving or enlisting, or entering themselves to serve, in the military forces or ships of war raised or set forth by the persons exercising or assuming to exercise the powers of government in certain provinces and parts of provinces in Spanish America, or in the military forces of his Catholic Majesty employed in Spanish America, or in his said Majesty's ships of war, 27th November, 1817. GEORGE, P. R.: Whereas there unhappily subsists a state of warfare between his Catholic Majesty and divers provinces or parts of provinces in Spanish America; and whereas it has been represented to us that many of our subjects have, without our leave or license, enlisted or entered themselves to serve in the military forces or ships of war raised or set forth or intended to be raised or set forth by the persons exercising or assuming to exercise the powers of government in such provinces or parts of provinces, and that divers others of our subjects are about, in like manner, to enter and enlist themselves; and whereas such practices are highly prejudicial to, and tend to endanger the peace and welfare of our Crown and dominions; we do therefore hereby, by and with the advice of our privy council, strictly charge and command all and every of our natural-born subjects, of what degree or quality soever, not to serve in any such military forces or ships of war as aforesaid, and not to enlist or enter themselves to serve herein, and not to go beyond the seas, or embark in order to serve, or with intent to enter or enlist themselves to serve, in such military forces or ships of war; and it is at the same time our royal will and pleasure, and we do, by and with the advice aforesaid, hereby also strictly charge and command all and every of our said subjects not to serve or enlist, or enter themselves to serve, in any of the military forces or ships of war raised or set forth, or to be raised or set forth, by his Catholic Majesty, and not to go beyond the seas, or embark in order or to the intent to serve, or enter, or enlist themselves to serve in any such military forces or ships of war; it is, nevertheless, our royal will and pleasure that nothing herein contained shall be deemed or taken to prohibit any of our subjects who are engaged at the time of the date of this our proclamation in serving in the military forces of his Catholic Majesty, with our leave or license from continuing to serve therein, provided that such our said subjects do not serve with the military forces of his Catholic Majesty when employed in Spanish America; and we do hereby, by and with the advice aforesaid, strictly require all our said subjects duly to conform to our commands herein contained, under pain of our highest displeasure and the utmost forfeitures, penalties, and punishments to which by law they will otherwise be liable. Given at our court at Brighton, the 27th day of November, 1817, in the 58th year of his Majesty's reign. God save the King. II. British proclamation for putting in execution the law made to prevent the enlisting or engagement of his Majesty's subjects in foreign service, and the fitting out or equipping in his Majesty's dominions vessels for warlike purposes without his Majesty's license, 6th June, 1823. GEORGE R.: Whereas hostilities at this time exist between different states and countries in Europe and America, and it is his Majesty's determination to observe the strictest neutrality with respect to the states and countries engaged in such hostilities; and whereas his Majesty has been informed that attempts have been made to induce his Majesty's subjects to engage in such hostilities by entering into the military and naval service of some of the states and countries without his Majesty's leave or license; And whereas, by an act made and passed in the 50th year of the reign of his late Majesty of blessed memory, intituled "An act to prevent the enlisting or engagement of his Majesty's subjects to serve in foreign service, and the fitting out or equipping, in his Majesty's dominions, vessels for warlike purposes, without his Majesty's license,' it is, among other things, enacted "that if any natural-born subject of his Majesty," &c. (Second clause of the foreign enlistment act.) * * * And it is further enacted "That it shall and may be lawful for any justice of the peace according to law for the said offense," (1st paragraph of the third clause of the foreign enlistment act.) And it is further enacted "That in case any ship or vessel," &c., (5th clause of the foreign enlistment act.) And it is further enacted "That if any master or person," &c., (6th clause of the foreign enlistment act.) And it is further enacted "That if any person in any part of the United Kingdom," &c., (7th clause of the foreign enlistment act.) And it is further enacted "That if any person in any part of the United Kingdom," &c., (8th clause of the foreign enlistment act.) His Majesty, therefore, being resolved to cause the provisions of the said statute to be effectually put in execution, and being desirous that none of his Majesty's subjects should unwarily subject themselves to the penalties thereby inflicted, hath thought fit, by and with the advice of his privy council, to issue this his royal proclamation, and doth hereby strictly command that no person or persons whatsoever do presume to commit or attempt any act, matter, or thing whatsoever contrary to the provisions of the said statute, and the tone, intent, and meaning thereof, and that the said provisions of the said statute be punctually observed and kept, upon pain of the several penalties by the said statute inflicted upon offenders against the same, and of his Majesty's high displeasure. Given at our court at Carleton House this 6th day of June, 1823, and in the fourth year of our reign. God save the King. GEORGE R.: III.-GREECE AND TURKEY. (30 September, 1825.) Whereas his Majesty, being at peace with all the powers and states of Europe and America, has repeatedly declared his royal determination to maintain a strict and impartial neutrality in the different contests in which certain of these powers and states are engaged; And whereas the commission of acts of hostility by individual subjects of his Majesty against any power or state, or against the persons and properties of the subjects of any power or state, which being at peace with his Majesty is at the same time engaged in a contest with respect to which his Majesty has declared his determination to be neutral, is calculated to bring into question the sincerity of his Majesty's declaration; And whereas, if his Majesty's subjects cannot be effectually restrained from such unwarranted commission of acts of hostility, it may be justly apprehended that the governments aggrieved thereby might be unable, on their part, to restrain their subjects from committing acts of violence upon the persons and property of unoffending subjects of his Majesty ; And whereas the Ottoman Porte, a power at peace with his Majesty, is and has been for some years past engaged in a contest with the Greeks, in which contest his Majesty has observed a strict and impartial neutrality; And whereas great numbers of his Majesty's loyal subjects reside and carry on a beneficial commerce, and possess establishments, and enjoy privileges within the dominions of the Ottoman Porte, protected by the faith of treaties between his Majesty and that power; And whereas his Majesty has received recent and undoubted information that attempts are now making to induce certain of his Majesty's subjects to fit out ships of war and privateers in the ports of his Majesty's kingdom, and to embark therein, for the purpose of carrying on, under the Greek flag, hostile operations against the Ottoman government, of capturing and destroying Turkish ships and property, and of committing depredations on the coasts of the Turkish dominions; And whereas such hostile operations would be directly contrary to the provisions of the act passed in the 69th year of the reign of his late Majesty, (cap. 63,) intituled "An act to prevent the enlisting or engagement of his Majesty's subjects to serve in foreign service, and the fitting out or equipping, in his Majesty's dominions, vessels for warlike purposes without his Majesty's license," in which it is among other things enacted, "That if any natural-born subject," &c., (2d clause of the foreign enlistment act.) And it is further enacted, "That if any person," &c., (7th clause of the foreign enlistment act.) His Majesty, therefore, being desirous of preserving to his subjects the blessings of peace which they now happily enjoy, and being resolved to persevere in that system of neutrality which his Majesty has so repeatedly declared his determination to maintain, in order that none of his Majesty's subjects may unwarily render themselves liable to the penalties imposed by the statute herein mentioned, has thought fit, by and with the advice of his privy council, to issue this his royal proclamation. And his Majesty does hereby strictly command that no person or persons whatsoever do presume to take part in any of the said contests, or to commit or attempt any act, matter, or thing whatsoever, contrary to the provisions of the said statute, upon pain of the several penalties by the said statute imposed, and of his Majesty's high displeasure. And his Majesty, by and with the advice aforesaid, doth hereby enjoin all his Majesty's subjects strictly to observe, as well toward the Ottoman Porte and the Greeks as toward all other belligerents with whom his Majesty is at peace, the duties of neutrality, and to respect in all and each of them the exercise of those belligerent rights which his Majesty has always claimed to exercise when his Majesty has himself been unhappily engaged in war. Given at our court at Windsor, the 30th day of September, 1825, and in the sixth year of our reign. God save the King. |