The Declaration of London has called forth protests from many
Chambers of Commerce, none more impressive than the Report of the Special Committee of the London Chamber of Commerce. Having considered the question mainly from the commercial and national standpoint, the Committee have almost unanimously- come to the conclusion to recommend that the Declaration of London should not be ratified in its present form, or be made effective by the passing of the Naval Prize Bill now before Parliament. They do so (1) because the effect of the Declaration is to alter the law of nations as hitherto maintained in a manner entirely unprecedented, and to expose to capture or deliberate destruction food-supplies borne to any port of Great Britain in neutral vessels ; (2) because the absence of any provision for preventing the conversion of merchant vessels into commerce-destroyers on the high seas constitutes a valid reason for praying his Majesty's Government to decline to ratify the Declaration, or to proceed with the Naval Prize Bill ; (3) because the admission of the principle of the destruction of neutral prizes would be in the highest degree prejudicial to the interests of this country. The Special Committee, we may mention, consisted of thirty members drawn from both political parties, including Lord Avebury, Lord Brassey, Mr. Gibson Bowles, Mr. Leverton. Harris, M.P., Sir Albert Spicer, and leading representatives of the shipping, coal, timber, flour, and other important interests.
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