As I stated at the time of the Imperial Conference ,
an agreement between the British Empire and the United States on the Liquor question was then practi- cally arrived at, only the details being referred back for further discussion. We may expect the publication of the Treaty at any moment now, as the majority of the Dominions have formally given their consent. As was stated in these columns, the Treaty gives to the American authorities the right of examining the ships' papers of British vessels within one hour's sail or steaming distance of the United States. In return for this con- cession of the right of search the United States agrees to permit British vessels to enter American territorial waters with liquor under seal. The Treaty is an eminently common-sense arrangement and reflects the greatest credit on both sides. The Baldwin Government, Mr. George Harvey, the late American Ambassador, the Foreign Office and the State Department at Wash- ington all deserve our congratulations. Let us hope that this Treaty will give a coup de grdce to Sir Brodrick Hartwell's scheme for smuggling whisky into America, to which reference has been made in the correspondence columns of the Spectator.
Previous page
