New-York daily tribune., 1866-01-13
THE RELATIONS BETWEEN EN-.
GLAND AND THE UNITED
aTATRa,

The official London Gazette publishes, IN its
number Of Dec -, the continuation of the cor
respondence between Mr.. Adams and the
British Foreign Secretaries earl Russell and
bis successor. Lord Clarendon) concerning the
American claims upon England, synopsis of
which was given in The TRIBUNE OF the 10th
inst. Nearly the whole Of this portion of the
diplomatic correspondence refers to the depreda-
tionS of the Shenandoah. In arguing this
case, both parties have to recur TO the argu-
ments used by them in former letters. As
was to be expected, the discussion of new facts
sheds new light on the substance Of the contro-
versy.
The correspondence opens with letter from
Mr. Adams to Earl Russell, dated Oct. 81, l-65,
communicating TO the English Government
certain papers relative to the destruction OF the
whaling bark William c. Nye by the Shenan-
doab, and notifying it that the Government Of
the United States looks to that Of England for
indemnifcation for this as for all similar losses
Mr.. Adams briefly recapitulates the chief facts
of the case as already stated in former letters
the protection given by the English Govern
ment to the rescued crew of the Alabama, the
continuance Of these persons-most of them
British subjects-to receive in England pecu-
mary assistance and supplies; the escape from
Liverpool of the Sea King, which subsequently
assumed the name of Shenandoah. Mr.. Adams
makes the English Government responsible for
granting to the Shenandoah the privileges OF a
belgerent after her transformation into n
priyateer had been consummated in defiance to
the laws of England and for thus enabling her
to injure the commerce of the United States;
also, for permitting the Rebel agent, J. ID. Bull
lock, to shape the outfit and the entire crew
of the Shenandoah without the smallest inter-
ference from any official quarter.
The reply of Lord Clarendon to most Of the
complaints of Mr.. Adams presents no new
points. The evidence against Bullock, in the
opinion of the English Government, was not
sufficient to proceed against him, and none of
the crew of the Shenandoah could be identified
as British subjects. As to the reception of the
Shenandoah in British ports, after her outfit
in violation of the English law, Lord Claren-
don again adduces as precedent the conduct
OF the United States toward Spain and Portu-
gal during the war arising out Of the revolt of
the South American Republics
The reply Of Mr.. Adams to this letter OF Lord
Clarendon is dated November II, lSGJ. Mr.
Adams observes that in all the previous cxan-
nations of this topic he has carefully abstained
from the task of affirming "that neutral
Power is absolutely responsible for the injurious
consequences of any and every violation Of
neutrality that may originate within its terri
torial limits, without regard to the circum.
stances attending each case"
The proposition which he did affirm and which
he continues TO insist upon, is "that neutral
is responsible for all injuries which may SO
ensue to friendly nation when it fails to exsr-
cisa ali the means in its power for prevention,
and constitutes itself the sole judge Of the
extent to which it will refuse to resort to
stronger ones within its reach, when tho old
ones are proved by the injured party to have
been wholly Inadequate to the emergency
lie then shows in what the conduct OF tho
United States towasd Spain and Portugal dill