The Order in Council of the 15th of March would constitute, were its
provisions to be actually carried into effect as they stand, a practical
assertion of unlimited belligerent rights over neutral commerce within
the whole European area and an almost unqualified denial of the
sovereign rights of the nations now at peace.
This Government takes it for granted that there can be no question what
those rights are. A nation's sovereignty over its own ships and
citizens under its own flag on the high seas in time of peace is, of
course, unlimited, and that sovereignty suffers no diminution in time of
war, except in so far as the practice and consent of civilized nations
has limited it by the recognition of certain now clearly determined
rights which it is conceded may be exercised by nations which are at
war.
A belligerent nation has been conceded the right of visit and search,
and the right of capture and condemnation, if upon examination a neutral
vessel is found to be engaged in unneutral service or to be carrying
contraband of war intended for the enemy's Government or armed forces.
It has been conceded the right to establish and maintain a blockade of
an enemy's ports and coasts and to capture and condemn any vessel taken
in trying to break the blockade.
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