ality now in use in this country much needs reconsideration and
redrafting. The clauses of the Proclamation which are set out by Mr.
Gibson Bowles in your issue of this morning rightly announce that every
person engaging in breach of blockade or carriage of contraband "will be
justly liable to hostile capture and to the penalties denounced by the
law of nations in that behalf, and will in no wise obtain protection
from us against such capture or such penalties." So far, so good. But
the Proclamation also speaks of such acts as those just mentioned as
being done "in contempt of this our Royal Proclamation, in derogation of
their duty as subjects of a neutral Power in a war between other Powers,
or in violation or contravention of the law of nations in that behalf."
It proceeds to say that all persons "who may misconduct themselves in
the premises ... will incur our high displeasure for such misconduct." I
venture to submit that all these last-quoted phrases are of the nature
of misleading rhetoric, and should be eliminated from a statement the
effective purport of which is to warn British subjects of the treatment
to which certain courses of conduct will expose them at the hands of
belligerents, and to inform them that the British Government will not
protect them against such treatment. The reason why our Government will
abstain from interference is, not that such courses of action are
offences either against international or English law, but that it has no
right to so interfere; having become a party to a rule of international
law, under which a neutral Government waives the right, which it would
otherwise possess, to protect the trade of its subjects from
molestation.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
T. E. HOLLAND.
Oxford, November 28 (1904).

THE BRITISH PROCLAMATION OF NEUTRALITY

Sir,--Enquiries which have reached me with reference to the observations
which I recently addressed to you upon the British Proclamation of
Neutrality induce me to think that some account of the development of
the text of the proclamation now in use may be of interest to your
readers. The proclamations with which I am acquainted conform to one or
other of two main types, each of which has its history.

1. The earlier proclamations merely call attention to the English law
against enlistments, &c., for foreign service; and command obedience to
the law, upon pain of the penalties thereby inflicted, "and of his
Majesty's high displeasu