direct interference with the common operations of the war, and indirect trade has been regarded with as much jealousy as direct trade.  If Lord Stowell is to be trusted, this country cannot in any way waive its belligerent rights, without the consent of its ally; so that it is quite in the option of France at any time to withdraw its assent, or to modify it in terms, and thus bind English merchants to the terms of their assent.

The intended effect of these Orders is well described in the Times, of April 21st, 1854.

“The Order in Council of the 15th April, 1854, recites, in the first instance, Her Majesty’s declaration made on the opening of the war; but it then goes on to enact not only that enemies’ property laden on board neutral vessels shall not be seized, but that all neutral and friendly ships shall be permitted to import into Her Majesty’s dominions, all goods and merchandizes whatsoever, and to export everything in like manner, except to blockaded ports, and except those articles which require a special permission as being contraband of war.  But this liberty of trade is not confined to neutrals.  It is further ordered, that, with the above exceptions only, British subjects shall have free leave to. trade ‘with all ports and places wherever situate,’ save only that British ships are not permitted to enter the ports of the enemy.  The effect of this Order is, therefore, to leave the trade of this country with neutrals, and even the indirect trade with Russia, in the same state it was in during peace, as far as the law of our courts maritime is concerned; and the doctrine of illegal trading with the enemy is at an end.[214] The restrictions henceforth to be imposed are solely those arising out of direct naval and military operations, such as blockade, and those which the enemy may think fit to lay upon British and French property.  As far as we are concerned, except that British ships are not to enter Russian ports—­which it is obvious that they could not do without incurring the risk of a forfeiture of their property and the imprisonment of their crews—­the trade may be lawfully carried on in any manner which the ingenuity and enterprise of our merchants can devise.  In order to facilitate the removal of British property from the ports of the Baltic and the White Sea, which were frozen up at the date of the Order of the 29th of March, further leave has been given to Russian vessels to come out of those ports, if not under blockade, until the 15th of May; as, in fact, it is only by taking up Russian ships that British property in those ports is likely to be removed, as neutrals will not enter them from fear of the blockade.

“It is not easy to convey to the mind of the mercantile classes of the present generation, who have had no practical experience of the state of war, the extent of the change which is thus effected in their favour.  The vigilance of our cruisers and the acuteness of our lawyers