The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-02 00:00:00

P/JNOSPITS.

TRTI Erasing, rooirriilicolny. Meant Douthid;
Murray & Drab= Min Pony Manhall. —And TRIG STREET.;
OV I.i)NtmiN. Mr Vining, Mears. *l•Lean, D. Murray, &c.
Moadaum-A :nowt, Barra:rt. and Maroon.

IIitITANICIA.

Ter MUM. TIM YAN UP THE RID MANSION ; OR,
1714 DAYS 0? YARN ANZOINE TR —The Champion
Skaorg; Hr. Plumptma ; Mr. & Na Coleman sad Mr. Brown.
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HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
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LONDON, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2.

LORD STANLEY has fulfilled his promise by lay-
ing his correspondence with the United States
Government before the public, but as the latest
despatch of the collection is dated more than
three months ago, and does not foreshadow a
termination of the dispute, we infer that he has
hitherto been no more successful than his prede-
cessor. The controversy cannot be said to
become more manageable as it proceeds : Mr.
SEWARD, who writes with never failing vigour,
has contrived not only to enlarge its scope very
considerably, but also to make it turn on matters
as to which any government must be in the
highest degree susceptible. Lord Russet". de-
clared two years ago that he could not consent to
permit the administrative action of the British
Government with regard to the escaped cruisers
to become the subject of arbitration ; but Mr.
SEWARD now formally makes what he insists was
the premature concession of belligerent rights
to the Confederates a grievance for which
the British Government owes reparation to the
United States. Mr. SEWARD describes that
recognition as an injurious proceeding for which
Great Britain has come under a full responsi-
billy either to justify it, or to render redress and
indemnity. ♦Ve regret to be unable to
reconcile the assertion of this claim with an ear-
nest desire to see the questions pending between
the two countries brought to an early and satisfac-
tory solution. The course taken by the American
SECRETARY of STATE differs little, if at all--espe-
cially when his reference to Canada and the Fe.
ailing is taken into account—from that which he
might have-been expected to adopt if he had
wished to keep a cause of quarrel open between
Great Britain and America. In his treatment of
the material claims of American citizens against
our Government, Mr. SEWARD is on firmer ground.
His despatch of the 12th of January, 1867, deals
with important points of maritime law, which it is
for the interest of this country to place as
soon as possible upon a sure basis. Mr.
SEWARD insists on making us responsible
for the practical insufficiency of our municipal
laws and our official and administrative action
for the purpose of securing the fulfilment of our
international duties. To Lord STANLEY'a implied
suggestion that Mr. ADAMS bad not supplied our
Government with information which would warrant
the detention of the hostile cruisers, or had not
supplied it in time, Mr. SEWARD replies that it
was the business, not of the American Minister,
but of the British Government, to take care that
the laws of this country were executed. This is the
opinionweventuredtoexpressat the time when many
English newspapers were denouncing Mr. Aesms
for employing " spies." Another point, of even
more importance, is the hospitality shown to the
Confederate cruisers in British ports all over the
world. Lord STANLEY had thought it suffi-
cient to observe that when those vessels
were received in British ports, they appeared
in the character of properly commissioned cruisers
of the Confederate States, and that a recognised
belligerent has a right to expect in a neutral port
such hospitality as is extended to its antagonists.
Mr. SEWARD replies that if, in the opinion of the
Quails's Government, a British vessel, in order to
acquire a lawfu 1 belligerent character against the
United States, had only to leave the British port
where she was built clandestinely, and to be frau-
dulently armed, equipped, and manned anywhere
in Great Britain or in any foreign country, or on
the high seas, and in some foreign country or
upon the high seas to set up and assume the title
and privileges of a belligerent, without even enter-
ing the so-called Confederacy, or ever coming
within any port of the United States, then he is
unable to determine by what different course of
proceeding a vessel can become a pirate, and an
enemy to the peace of nations. After these and
other disputed matters had been elaborately dis-
cussed, the practical question for the decision of
the two Governments was what subjects should be
included in the reference to arbitration,
to which both parties professed themselves
ready to consent. Mr. SEWARD insisted that the
" whole controversy, just as it is found in the
" correspondence between the two Governments"
—that is to say, including the question of our policy
of recognising the Confederates as belligerents—
should be referred. This Lord STANLEY posi-
tively declined, but he declared his readiness to
go to arbitration on the question, " whether in
" the matters connected with the vessels out of
" whose depredations the claims of American citi-
" ;ens have arisen the course pursued by the
" British Government and by those who acted
" under its authority was such as would involve a
" moral responsibility on the part of the British
" Government to make good, either in whole or
" in part, the losses of American citizens," He

further proposed, that if the decision of the adtttess
tion should prove unfavourable to the British view:,
then the claims of the citizens of the United States
should be referred to a Mixed Commission. This
limited reference to arbitration in regard to claims
of the Alabama class the American Government
his respectfully declined, and thus we appear to
be as far as ever from a settlement of the dispute
between the two countries.