sure without going to war known as "pacific blockade"
dates, as is well known, only from 1827. It has indeed been enforced, by
England as well as by France, upon several occasions, against the
vessels of third Powers; but this practice has always been protested
against, especially by French jurists, as an unwarrantable interference
with the rights of such Powers, and was acknowledged by Lord Palmerston
to be illegal. The British Government distinctly warned the French in
1884 that their blockade of Formosa could be recognised as affecting
British vessels only if it constituted an act of war against China; and
when the Great Powers in 1886 proclaimed a pacific blockade of the
coasts of Greece they carefully limited its operation to ships under the
Greek flag.

The Subject has been exhaustively considered by the Institut de Droit
International, which, at its meeting at Heidelberg in 1887, arrived at
certain conclusions which may be taken to express the view of learned
Europe. They are as follows:--

"L'etablissement d'un blocus en dehors de l'etat de guerre ne
doit etre considere comme permis par le droit des gens que
sous les conditions suivantes:--

"1. Les navires de pavillon etranger peuvent entrer librement
malgre le blocus.

"2. Le blocus pacifique doit etre declare et notifie
officiellement, et maintenu par une force suffisante.

"Les navires de la puissance bloquee qui ne respectent pas un
pareil blocus peuvent etre sequestres. Le blocus ayant cesse,
ils doivent etre restitues avec leur cargaisons a leurs
proprietaires, mais sans dedommagement a aucun titre."

If the French wish to reap the full advantages of a blockade of the
Siamese coast they must be prepared, by becoming belligerent, to face
the disadvantages which may result from the performance by this country
of her duties as a neutral.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
T. E. HOLLAND.
Athenaeum Club, July 26 (1893).

PACIFIC BLOCKADE

Sir,--The letter signed "M." in your issue of this morning contains, I
think, some statements which ought not to pass uncorrected. A "blockade"
is, of course, the denial by a naval squadron of access for vessels to a
defined portion of the coasts of a given nation. A "pacific blockade" is
one of the various methods--generically described as "reprisals," such
as "embargo," or seizure of ships on the high seas--by which, without
resort to war, pres