The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-12 00:00:00

THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.

The Inciependance Edge publishes a telegram from
London containing intelligence which, if correct, is of the
highest importance. It says the English Government has
officially informed the Cabinet of Washington that the
principle of arbitration must apply to all claims arising
out of the civil war, whether preferred by English or
Americancitizens. Oneof the leadingarguments broughtby
Mr. Sumner against the Clarendon-Johnson treaty was
that it allowed the counter claims of English citizens to
be brought before the mixed commission, and that it was
therefore possible for the damages awarded to English-
men to exceed the damages conceded to Americans.
According to the Independance Edge, the British Govern.
ment is resolved that if the claims of one country be sub-
mitted to arbitration, those of the other must be dealt
with in the same way. If General Grant's Government
will not allow English claims to be considered, the British
Ministry will decline arbitration altogether. This is the
meaning of the telegram published in the Belgian paper,
which, it may be remarked, is a highly respectable
authority, and is the only continental paper well informed
on English affairs.

SEIZURES OF AMERICAN VESSELS BY SPANIARDS.

It is satisfactory to learn that the Spanish Government
not only disapproves of the arbitrary conduct of its repre-
sentatives in the West Indies, but has in one case, at
least, taken a step towards reparation. Two American
vessels have been seized by Spanish war-ships within
the last few weeks. One of these—the Mary Lowell—
was captured in British waters, and is yet the subject of
a curious diplomatic cmbroglio, in which all three nations
—England, America, and Spain—are involved. The
other ship was the Galvanic, taken off the coast
of Cuba, on the supposition that it was bearing aid
to the insurgents. No proof that the passengers and
crew were guilty of this breach of international law is,
however, forthcoming. The revolutionary Government has,
therefore, expressed its disapproval of its officers' conduct,
and the crew and passengers of the Galvanic have been set
at liberty. This prompt justice contrasts favourably with
the endless delays of Isabella's Government in the cases
of the Tornado and the Mermaid, and affords ground for
the expectation that the Mary Lowell dispute also will be
speedily settled. The Americans claim this vessel
because she is an American ship ; we have suffered injury
inasmuch as the capture took place within British waters
—off one of the Bahamas ; whilst the Spaniards hold that
the seizure was not made in British waters, and that the
capture is legal, as the Mary Lowell was carrying contra-
band of war.
THE KING OF PRUSSIA AND THE HANOVERIANS.

King William will start in a few days fora tour through
his lately-acquired provinces of Hesse and Hanover. Tht
Parte says it has been decided to hold no public care.
monies, for the disagreeable news has been received at
Berlin that a large number of the Hanoverian aristocracy
quitted the city of Hanover as soon as it was known that the
King was coming. This shews that Prussian rule is far from
popular in the upper grades of the kingdom from which
King George was expelled. King William's visit will
last only a few days, and the time will be devoted ex-
elusively to the inspection of military works.