CAPTURES AT SEA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2379, 8 February 1915, Page 7

CAPTURES AT SEA

'AGREEMENT BETWEEN ALLIES.The "Commonwealth Gazette' l publishes the following:— . . A convention has been 'oonclnifed between Great Britain and France for determinating jurisdiction over joint captures made during the war by the naval forces of. the Allied countries, and for regulating the, distribution of the proceeds of joint captures. A summary is as follows:— Article 1 1.—Adjudicating of neutral or enemy prizes shall belong to the jurisdiction of the 1 country capturing the vessel, even if under orders from the authorities of other Allied countries. Article 2.—ln case of a merchant vessel of the Allies, -adjudication shall belong to the jurisdiction of the country of the captured vessel,'and cargo similarly. When a merchant vessel of the Allied countries, whose\original destination was an enemy port, and which was carrying enemy or neutral cargo liable to capture, has entered the port of one of the Allied countries, the prizo jurisdiction of • that country is competent to pronounce condemnation on the cargo. In such case ■ the value of the goods shall be placed to the credit of the Government of the Allied country whose flag the vessel .flies. Article 3—When a joint capture shall bo made by 'the naval forces of the Allied countries, abjudication shall belong to the jurisdiction of the country whose flag has been borne by the officer having superior command. Article 4.—'When a capture shall ha made by a cruiser of one of the Allied nations, in the presence and within the sight of a oruiser of another Allied nation—such cruiser having contributed to the intimidation of the enemy and the encouragement of the captor— abjudication shall belong to the jurisdiction of the actual captor. Article s.—ln the caso of condemnation under, the circumstances described in the preceding articles, if capturo shall have been made by the vessels of the Allied nations acting in conjunction, the net proceeds of the prize shall be divided into as many shares as there are men on board the capturing vessels without reference to rank, and the shares of each Ally as ascertained shall be paid and delivered to such person as may be authorised on behalf of tho Allied Government who shall receive same, and the allocation of the; amoun t belonging to each vessel shall be made by each Government. If a rapture has been made by the cruisers of one of the Allied nations in the presence. / and pight of a cruiser of another'.division, the payment of the allocation' of the net proceeds of the prize, after deducting the necessary expenses/ shall- be made in the manner above-mentioned. If the capture made by a cruiser of one of the Allied countries shall .'have been adjudicated by the courts. <jfr another, the net proceeds of the prize shall be made over in the same manner to, the Government of the captor. _ The notice is signed by Sir Edward Grey aiid M. Paul Camhon (Ambassador of the French Government in Great Britain). The non-signatop-Powers aro to be invited to accede, to ■ the present Convention, In an an ~ nexuro. instructions ar© issued to enable commanders of ships of ; both* countries to oxeoute tho Convention.