16 CAPTAIN ZACHARY G. LAMSON 



contraband of war. If, however, any cause 

 for seizure were found, the vessel must be 

 sent into some port of the belligerents, 

 where she would receive a fair trial in the 

 Admiralty courts. 



A blockade of any port or coast must be 

 accompanied by a sufficient naval force 

 to make entry to such port or ports dan- 

 gerous, and neutrals must be warned pre- 

 viously of such blockade. 



On the above points there was no dis- 

 cussion, but on the broad claim that the 

 neutral flag covered, neutral goods, that a 

 belligerent had no right to search for con- 

 traband or for enemies' goods on a neutral, 

 England placed a firm negative. The fail- 

 ure of the "armed neutrality" 1 of 1800 had 



1 The "armed neutrality," as it was called, was a 

 maritime confederacy formed by Russia, Sweden, Den- 

 mark and Prussia, which attempted to prescribe the con- 

 ditions under which neutral commerce should be carried 

 on in European wars. The contracting parties agreed to 

 support their construction of maritime law by force of 

 arms if necessary, but the bombardment of Copenhagen 

 by the English put an end to the confederacy. 



