THE PRIVATEERING SCARE.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2926, 2 July 1878, Page 2

THE PRIVATEERIN G SCARE.

The dangers and difficulties of a war with Eussia are'considerable enough in tliemselves, without conjuring up imaginary troubles or exaggerating those must of necessity arise. Yet it seems to us that Sir Samuel Baker, in a letter to the Times, altogether overrates the injury that could be done by " privateers'" to our commerce. He writes with special reference to the corn trade, which he avers

will be seriously hampered not only by the hold which Russia may obtain on the mouths of the Danube, and Bosphorus, but also by vessels which, according to him,-would be armed in foreign ports to prey upon our grain ships. "It should not be forgdtteu that America has re* served freedom of action.; thus in a war

between England and liussia the latter Power will- issue letters of marque to Uo American adventurers, and a swarm of Alabamas may interrupt our commerce," N^ife^ Samu 1 Baker has evidently overlooked the Treaty of Washington and the.Three iiules. America refused to* sign^he Declaration of Paris because she beliefed v that" by so doing she would. depri^i herself of the most effective weapo|l;ili case oJLwar between the United States 4nd any other Power. But this had nothing to do with the position of the United; $tates;as a neutral, and all Americans freely admit/that t:fry are debarred >'from disking letters of ma^quie Under a forejjjtt.flag. Further,'ltussta herself is, botppby the Declaration of Paris; and • to tear it up at the outbreak of war'would* undoubtedly set more that one neutral ' ■ Power against her. But, what is more important still, the Americans themselves, , who are- quite as anxious to Bell their grain as we Are to buy it, would look with no friendly eye upon a "swarm of Alabamas" which would damage their interest to fully as great an extent as they would ours. In addition, as the Philadelphia correspondent of the Times pointed out yesterday, the American privateers would have no ports into which they could go to have their prizes adjudicated upon, so that there would be no ' prospect pf profit; while if, out of lore . aud regaad for Eussia, they burned such prizes as they got, . their captains and crews would most unquestionably be hanged as soon' as the " privateers " were captured. But there is really no need to "enlarge-- «vetf~" upon these obvious .considerations. The mere difficulties which such vessels would encounter would be quite sufficient .to deter shrewd Yankee speculators from embarking in any such business. Priva* teers capable of holding their own in speed, well- equipped, well armed, and well manned,- with large ooal-carrying capacity, are not picked up at a few months' notice even in England, and cor- • thinly not in the United States.. The " swarm of Alabamas " would rery soon fiud that they could neither coal, refit, nor obtain a sale for their prizes; while each day would add to the risks of what, to start with, must be a most hazardous undertaking. Within six months of the outbreak of a war with Eussia -our commerce all over the earth would be all , but completely secured from attack. We have never disguised the weakness of our position in certain directions, and we still are of opinion that a great deal of harm might be done in the Pacific before we could interfere with effect. Even there, however, the annoyance would be but temporary, as we are told that steps are. .already being taken to strengthen our squadron in that oc^an and to prepare our colonies to resist attack. J It is no, doubt unfortunate if, as reported this morning; the Shah should be obliged to return ' home in consequence of having stripped ' off several sheets of copper on her way | from Esquimalt to Valparaiso, as she alone , ia far more than a match for any two Bus* | sian vessels in the Pacific in speed aad arment. But commanding as we do nearly all the coal and coaling stations on the. globe, with harbours and colonies in every sea, we may look wiihout any alarm upon Eussian naval preparations; and the open bragging of the Bussian Press will alone suffice to. show that there is really little chaace of harm being done us in this way. As the St. Petersburgh correspondent of the Times observes,, people keep their own counsel about really dangerous plans, —Pall Mall Gazette.