Note 678 — Chapter II · RELATIONS BETWEEN BELLIGERENTS AND NEUTRALS

This case marks the difference between the duties of neutrals as regards asylum to land and naval forces. Whereas land forces crossing neutral frontiers must either be at once repulsed or detained, men-of-war may be granted the right to stay for some limited time within neutral harbours and to leave afterwards unhindered; see above, § 342. The supply of a small quantity of coal to the Novik in Tsing-Tau was criticised by writers in the Press, but unjustly. For—see above, § 346—a neutral may allow a belligerent man-of-war in his port to take in so much coal as is necessary to navigate her to her nearest home port.