ABSTRACT
Aneutral flag covers enemy’s goods except contraband of war: Neutral goods, except contraband of war, are not liable to seizure under the enemy’s flag. The States possessing a coast which up to the present have withheld a formal adherence are the United States, Spain, Mexico, and Venezuela. Enemy’s goods may be captured even on board neutral ships, and neutral goods are free on board enemy’s ships. The treaty of 1650 was, in 1714, confirmed with the United Provinces, and the same principle was embodied in the Treaty of Vienna, 1725, with the Empire. The conduct of Russia in relation to the new rule has been uniformly inconsistent. In spite of numerous treaties in the contrary sense, the United States have never swerved from the English view of International Law as the common law of nations. That property belonging to the subjects of belligerent Powers shall be free on board the ships of neutrals excepting goods that are contraband”.
