Mr. Hay to Mr. Eddy.
Washington, October 13, 1904.
Sir: I inclose copies of papers received from the Postmaster-General,a concerning the confiscation or detention by the Russian Vladivostok squadron of mail matter from the United States on board the British steamer Calchas, seized off the Japan coast about July 26 last.
You will bring this instance of what appears to be a violation of the provisions of the Universal Postal Convention to the attention of the Russian Government, and to request of it an investigation and appropriate action.
Any interruption of regular postal communication entails such serious inconvenience to various interests that, apart from the provisions of treaty, a usage has in recent years grown up to exempt neutral mails from search or seizure. In presenting this matter to the Russian Government you will refer to this fact and express the confidence of this Government that, in its treatment of the subject, the Russian Government will recognize the liberal tendency of recent international usage to exempt neutral mails from molestation.
I am, etc.,
- Not printed.↩