The French Government have notified, in reply to her Majesty's
Go- vernment, on the application of the Committee of Lloyd's, that Austrian vessels leaving ports of call will be liable to seizure. Mr. Hammond informs the Secretary of Lloyd's that "the first inquiry which Earl Cowley was iustructed to make was whether Austrian vessels arriving at ports of call would be allowed to leave such ports for their desti- nation without being liable to capture ; the second, whether Austrian ves- sels, which have sailed for Austrian or for neutral ports prior to the decla- ration of war, will be liable to capture." The reply of the French Govern- ment to both is in the affirmative ; but all Austrian vessels entering French ports in ignorance of the outbreak of war *ill be protected.