New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-11-21

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| Some three years ago, a convention was concluded
between the United States and Great Britain, fol-
the adjustment Of all unsettled claims which, since
the signature of the Treaty of Client in Dec, 1914,
had sIisen Cd the part of American citizens against
the British Government, or on the part of British
subjects against the Government Of the United
States. There were number of claims of this sort,
| open which the Governments of the two countries
had taken different views, and which had been the
| subject of energetic correspondence. Ii was on
excellent idea, both regards the friendly relations
Of the two countries and the interests OF the indl
vduals con cerned to bring all these controversies TO
| final settlement and thus to remove what IN case
of future collisions might have served as fael to
those disposed to iDflame angry feelings between
the two nations.
The international Court for the settlement Of
these controversies was constituted Of one Commis-
siOner for each country, nominated by ITSELF before
whom all matters first to be brought the cases
in which the two Com nssioners could not agree to
be decided by an arbitrator to be selected by the
two Commissioners, or if they could not agree upon
one, each to name a person, between whom the
selection was to be made by lot. The Commission
ers appointed were the part of the United States,
N. G. Upham, on the part of the British Govern
ment, Edmund HOInby, who agreed upon Joshua
Bates Of LondOn-ihe well-knOwn managing part
ner Of the house of Barngs, though by birth ctl-
zen of the United States-as the arbitrator to act
in cases where they differed in opinion, and by
whom in fact all the principal cases were decided.
1t was provided in the convention, in order to
make the commission as beneficial as possible,
that all claims within its jurisdiction even though
not presented for adjudication, should, after the
closing of the commission, be COZ sidered as finally
settled and forever barred. The claims presented
exceeded hundred in number-forty on the part
of American citizers and sixty five on the part of
British subjects-and the indemnities demanded
came up to millions of dollars Many Of the claims
were so obviously unfounded or not within the
Jurisdiction of the Court to be easily disposed Of
The whole docket was cleared in year and six
months. The sums actually awarded amounted
only to 5000, 900, Of which rather more than one
half was awarded to American claimants. Toe
whole proceedings, including report at length of
those cases-twenty- two in understanding i'm
portant principles, has been published in volume
by order of Congress, and is now before us. Tbs
volume might properly enough be entitled, cases
decided by Mr. Umpire Bates.
1t appears by this report that of the twelve
awards made in favor of American citizens, only
two which amounted together to Oply $l,4S7 GO,
were made by the Commi siOners, tn, other ten, to
tie amount of 1923 297 80, having been made by
the umpire. 1t also appears that of the whole
amount awarded more than 100000 grew
out of cases connected with the slive-trade
Of this sum upward Of $4,000 was
awarded to three vessels, which had been
seized on the coast of Africa under suspicion
for which the use or rather abuse of the Ameri.
can flag on that coast gives but too much OCCASION
Of being concerned in the African slavetrade, while
upward of $4,000 was awarded in the cases OF
the Creole, Enterprise and Hermosa engagedin the
domestic s'ave-trade, and whose human cargoes
hsd been set free by the British authorities in the
Babames.
These ca es at the time of their occurrence ex
cited good deal of public interest, and were the
occasion of an elaborate correspondence between
the two Governments. In the case of the Creole
the slaves on board-headed, it we recollect Alright
by one Jefferson MadisOn-mutiDied as they were
passipg the Bahama Banks gained possession of
the vessel and carried her into the port OF Nassau
The Enterprise in the course Of her voyage was
driven into Port Hamilton by stress OF weather,
where the slaves were liberated. The HermOsa
Icing wrecked Oh the Spanish Key Abaco, was
boarded by British wreckers, who took the
crew and cargo to Nassau instead OF carrying
them to Key West, as the captain desired.
The arbitrator decided all these cases 10 favor of
the claimants, on the general ground taken by Mr..
Webster in the case of the Creole, that vessel
navigating the ocean carries her own laws with
her. so far as relates to the persons and property
on board The umpire held, that as the Creole
was navigating the ocean on voyage lawful by
the law of nations and the laws Of the United
States she was entitled to protection and defense
ard that the magistrates, instead Of setting the mu-
tneers free, ought to have detained them, to be
sent to the United States for trial. In the case of
the Enterprise, he gives some weight to the TACT
that. at the time it occurred, emancipation in the
West Indies was not yet complete; and in the case
of the HermOsa, TO the fact that the slaves were
not carried to Bermuda by the consent'of the mas
ter On the whole, Mr. Umpire Bates has done
very well by the Shareholders and save-traders-
even going beyond his illustrious predecessor IN
That line, Alexander Of Russia.
Many Of our readers will probably recoIect tn
case, Of which mention was some time since mad;