denounce it
unless the besieging commander complies with his request.

94. _Dutch Reprisals._

In consequence of the dispute which had arisen between Holland and
Venezuela in 1908--see the case of the Expulsion of M. de Reus, above
p. 85--the Dutch government sent some cruisers into Venezuelan waters
with the intention of resorting to reprisals. Accordingly the Dutch
cruiser _Gelderland_ captured on Saturday, Dec. 12th, 1908, the
Venezuelan coastguard ship _Alexis_ outside Puerto Cabello. The captain
of the _Alexis_ was put ashore at Puerto Cabello, and he forwarded to
his government at Caracas the following communication handed to him by
the officer of the _Gelderland_ who boarded his vessel:

"_December 12._

"Her Majesty the Queen of Holland has given orders to her warships
temporarily to sequestrate and place an embargo upon all vessels of the
Venezuelan Government. This is a retaliatory measure. We demand that
you lower your flag and surrender your ship and your persons to the
commander of the _Gelderland_. All resistance will be useless. If you
resist the result will be the loss of your vessel and the death of many
of you.

"SECOND LIEUTENANT BOINAR."

95. _Birth on the High Seas._

An Englishwoman gives birth to an illegitimate child on board a German
liner while on the high seas on a voyage to New York. The child's
father is German. What is the nationality of the child?

96. _A High-handed Action._

On the 15th of March, 1804, Napoleon, though at peace with Baden, sent
a body of troops into the territory of this state for the purpose of
surprising the castle of Ettenheim and of carrying off the Duke of
Enghien. The Duke was brought to the castle of Vincennes, near Paris,
and the same night was tried by court martial on the charge of high
treason for having borne arms against France. He was convicted, and was
shot on the following morning.

SECTION XXV

97. _"The Southern Queen."_

During an insurrection on an island belonging to state A, the _Southern
Queen_, a vessel sailing under the flag of state B with a cargo of
ammunition and carrying a number of individuals desirous of joining the
insurgents, is on her way to a port in the island concerned. State A,
receiving information of the matter, orders a man-of-war to be on the
look out for the vessel and to seize her. The order is carried out on
the high seas, 150 miles away from the island.

98. _A Three-cornered Dispute._

In