SECTION VII
25. A Conversion at Sea.
On July 4th and 6th, 1904, during the Russo-Japanese war, the Peterburg and the Smolensk, vessels belonging to the Russian volunteer fleet in the Black Sea, passed the Turkish Straits, flying the Russian commercial flag. They likewise passed the Suez Canal under their commercial flag, but after leaving Suez they converted themselves into men-of-war by hoisting the Russian war flag, and began to exercise the right of visit and search over neutral merchantmen. On July 19th the Peterburg captured the British P. and O. steamer Malacca, for alleged carriage of contraband, and put a prize crew on board for the purpose of navigating her to Libau.
26. A Frontier Affray.
On May 12th, 1908, the Petite République published a telegram from Lisbon announcing that a collision between Portuguese and Spanish troops had occurred at Porto Allegro. It appeared that several Spanish smugglers were surprised while attempting to smuggle quantities of tobacco and silk across the frontier into Portugal, and resisted the Portuguese guards. A detachment of Spanish troops arrived on the scene during the fight and crossed over on to Portuguese territory. Here they were fired upon by the Portuguese, who, in the darkness, mistook them for a second band of smugglers. The Spaniards together with the smugglers now opened fire and a terrible fight ensued in which even women took part. Before long, however, the Spaniards, who were evidently under the impression that they, too, had to deal with smugglers, discovered their error, and ceased fire, and the smugglers immediately fled to the mountains leaving several dead, including two women. Several of the soldiers on both sides were either killed or wounded.
27. General Vukotitch.
On Oct. 19th, 1908, during the state of tension in the Balkan peninsula resulting from the declaration by Austria-Hungary of her sovereignty over the provinces of Bosnia-Herzegovina, General Vukotitch, a Montenegrin envoy, was charged with a special mission for Belgrade by Prince Nicholas. He travelled to his destination by way of Fiume, but, on arriving at Agram, he was ordered from the train by gendarmes and conducted to the Prefecture of Police. There he was searched, and his purse and everything else he had in his possession were taken from him. At the same time his baggage was completely ransacked. He told the Gendarmerie officers his name, explained his status, and showed them the passport and the permit delivered to him by the Austro-Hungarian Legation at Cettigne, but all without any effect. He was, however, allowed to send a telegram to Baron von Aehrenthal, complaining of the treatment he had received as a violation of international usage, and, after some time, an order came from Vienna for his release.
28. An Anglo-French Burglar.
François Lebrun, having committed a burglary in Paris, is sentenced to ten years' hard labour, but after one year's imprisonment succeeds in escaping to England. On the request of the French police he is arrested in London and brought before the magistrate in order that he may be extradited. His counsel however objects to his extradition on the ground that Lebrun was born in London and was therefore, although his parents were French, an English subject.