Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1899 — TARTAR IS RELEASED. [ARTICLE]

TARTAR IS RELEASED.

Transport Allowed to Clear by the British Authorities. Clearance papers have been allowed the Tartar at Hong Kong. It is supposed clearance was allowed upon the suggestion of the British foreign office to the British governor at Hong Kong that It would be unwise to interfere with American transports. The War Department was officially notified Wednesday morning of the detention at Hong Kong by the British authorities of the transport Tartar, which they claimed to be overcrowded with men. Gen. Otis cibjed the facts. Tho captain of the vessel also cabled from Hong Kong. The Tartar Is a British vessel and shows the British ensign over her stern to Indicate her nationality, although the United States army transport flag flleo at her masthead. Her regular service was between Victoria and Hong Kong. It is declared that her charter by the United States Government divested her of her mercantile character and made her, for the time being, a regular American war vessel, and as inch, under the Geneva convention, entitled to full extra territoriality throughout the world. Officials In Washington deny that Great Britain has any jurisdiction over tbe transport Tartar, and Ambassador Choate was cabled to make strong representations to the British Government on the subject.. Overcrowding is also denied, it being pointed ont that remodeling tho ship increased her passenger accommodations by 60 per cent.