Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1900-05-04 | Page 3 | Was Serious Offense

WAS SERIOUS OFFENSE British Warship Overhauls an American Vessel i WAS W ASIN IN WATER I AMBASSADOR CHOATE LAYS MATTER BEFORE SALISBURY Crew of H M S Wasp Boarded the Ship Sea Witch Within Wit in the Three Threemile Threemile I mile Limit of Portuguese se Terri Tern Territory Territory tory in East Africa and the Cap Captain Captain tain tam Makes Complaint 4 London May 3 It has been learned learn d db b by a representative of the Associated Press that United States Ambassador dot Choate hoate has asked eted Lord Salisbury for explanations as to the oj cIZ I international rights in the case of the American ship Sea Witch which ac according according cording to the statement st of her h com commander mander mender Captain Howe we vc boarded by the British warship Wasp within I the threemile limit UmU of ot Portuguese P territory ter territory territory in East Africa I I The American ambassadors ors communication communication l to the premier hardly amounts to a protest pro St and serious complications are not likely to ensue Ansue The case as transmitted by Secretary Hay to Lon London London London don consists of the captains allega allegation tion that while the Sea Witch was off Delagoa Bay he lie signaled to the which was patrolling and the Wasp sent a boot boat to her The captain of the Sea Witch complains that the visit re resembled resembled a warlike boarding party and that his manifest was examined against his will when palpably within neutral n waters wates If the latter latt r statement is fe true a ser serious serious ious ions offense has been committed commUted by the Wasp which will call for an ample apology from Great Britain But it Is pointed out that the fact that the Sea Witch signaled the Wasp before the ship noticed her invests the case with witha 1 a curious uncertainty i Apparently both Mr Choate and Lord Salisbury are inclined to believe that there is some mistake perhaps on both sides The premier has referred the 1 matter to the admiralty which has no record of the occurrence e but has as cabled to South Africa for the Wasps version of the affair and it is possible that some BOrne time may elapse before the British reply te IE i reedy ready r dy In Ia the meantime the incident does not nat interfere in the slightest degree with the cordiality existing between the representatives of the two nations in interested interested interested