The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-27
Our Washington Correspondence.

Adjourned.
Our Washington Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, Feb. %, 1856.
The Board Of Mred Commissions Bet,een Great Britain
and the United States-What they have Don.-TAe
amount Of A,cdrds Nade-7he Questions or Interna-
tiond, Lao Inrolred-Know Nothing Victory in
Washington ~ the annual Election Of the Board of
Managers Of the Washington Monument-7he Monu.
rnent to be Completed By the Knop Nothinas &C.
Gen. J. Addison Thomas of New York, the advocate
the part Of the American government to prosecute
cases before the Board Of Mixed Commissioners on
claims between Great Britain and the United States
tablished in 1852 has arrived in Warrington This
Board Of Mixed they are oaled have
ended their labors, and inklug of what they
have been about would not be embarrassing. II is well
known this board sstablhhed to save legislation in
deciding the very many of claims arising between
the citizens and subjects Of Great Britain and the United
States Some Of these claims had been tue subject OF
by the diplomatic agents of both
tries and have occasionally excited apprehensons of
breach Of peace between them. Under such circum.
stances the proceedings and the conclusion Of the
mission must be OF great interest both sides of the
Atlantic, especially to all those who may have had
claims before the Board while the question OF interna
tional law decided by court of such authority in
the importance which should be attached to its
actions.
The Board commenced its sttings in London, on the
18th of September, 1853 Nathaniel G. Upham, of New
uomrss;ra ,ros ,ro;.,oa ....,.. r,..,-,... !,
"as appo'n'ea A"ef'can commissioner ana
Ecmund Hewley, Commissioner on the part of Great
Britain Martin Van Buren, selected umpire, to
decide upon in which the above Commissioners
might disagree, but declining to serve Joshua Bates
Esq, of the firm Of Bosney Bro in London and merly
of Massachusetts, appointed in his place. Thus
sodated the commission proceeded at once to determine
upon brought before them by the counsel for the
respective governments. The board has continued it,
sitting from the 18th Of segtembo 1853: till within
about one hundred and twenty. Tha number, howev.
err gives not proper idea OF the labor performed
mere were many claims In add'on 70 the ABOVE pre-
scented for arjucication, which were decided by the
principles already settled in preceding; but Ia
these subsequent cases oil the paper and documents
had to be carefully examined and the testimony care
fully revised, before the principles involved wers
known.
The amount of money involved cannot be accurately
Estimated but some have put IL high ten twelve
millions Of dollars. The amount of claims allowed
between six and seven hundred thousand dollars OF
which nearly sixty thousand, moro than half was al
lowed TO American citizens and which is to be pail by
the government to the United States to the credit
OF the claimants before the 18th of January next Most
likely it will be paid Immediately, before the adjourn
n,ent of the present Parliament. In addition to the
amount due the American claimants, from the direct
action of the commissioners they also obtain the further
of hundred ard ten thouaud dollars from claims
upon which evidence sufficiently complete wanting
to allow their being passed upon by board but which
ent ontoundeu them This makes the amount due sur
citizens between four and Ave hundred thousand dollars
The questions of international law, determined by the
commissioner have already from time to time been the
subject OF newspaper comments. might refer partcu
larry to the quotations arising in the Of the fishing
schooner Washington OF the brig Creole OF the Messrs
Lansent, &c.
The FIRST wa case Ia which an American fishing yes.
sell engaged In the Bay OF Funda about ten niles tom
shore was seized ana conscated by the British author
ties who construed the treaty o. 1878 afer an inter
probation of twenty four years satisfactory to our ct
zens 70 as to exclude our vessels from fishing within
OF any British bay. This modern construction
was adhered to by the fritish commissioner,
case IN our favor and according to the Old
Interpretation OF the treaty in regard to fisheries The
American Commission before the umpire decided, ore
pared an elaborate and valuable opn on upon the SUD
jeet
The next case, (Which was president for the ar
rapgemant OF the two others) was one in which ves-
ses having slaves on board forced from necessity
into the Bermudas, where the slaves were berstei by
the Colonial authorities. When the fret of these
occurred think slavery had not been abolished by the
British government in those islands The American
Commissioner in this case took the ground that all M
that TO do II insome necessary to enter
harboIs &C. for the preservation Of life and property
bic necessity, the pristine right of navigating
the ocean, g. part OF which he held the entering
foreign ports as rghfnl enjoyment OF an end
carries win II the right Of using the means to attain it
revived ana IN snch cases the vessel and all on board
were o. mach under the protection Of its owo flag and
e Jaws OF It's country as on tue high or 10 NAIVE
tie ft umpire npl, claim ;. ...,,
subject residing in Mexico while we were at war with
that country and wno claimed the privilege Of neutrality
Mh,e aidifg and aoettng the enemy ~ his personal
presence as merchant. Inc umpire, WITH ths American
commissioner deciced 10 TINS case that ne wasa Mexicau
supect end ms only Ie.i was oy acton OF tue Am ST
cnh congress. zen scott whis IN possession OF tne
e.ty OF MeAco ounh among the arehves o. the govern
ment an agreement 10 sell the claimant some ian1s
ons,t Sich ant Par ., ,ne meoey haa oeen nc
Pohteu. put tne goV.tnment nad not actuany
that Y should be done Scott caused the agreement to
nu a;e"te5 ~. eus as ,h ands
upon which he brought suit AGAINST the United States