New-York tribune., 1867-09-16
IT ITNS AGAINST ENGLAND.
...,.-,,g, rx.rAC1s FROM OfHCIAL COGEE-
srONDENCE.
FOEuGS OFFICE, Nov 80, lsCt.
I|-" "TI-7T-I " ~ T 7-'-I " 1'T''
,, I'm auolhcr dispatch of this date | hav,

Gu. I'm another dispatch of this date | have
encd myself exclusively to the consideration of The
American claims pul forward I'm Mr scwdlds dispatch To
Mr. Rdlur Of hc 2,th Of August and orsug out Of the
l.ucdatous committed on American commerce by Ger
..i,, cruiser. of me Confederate states
Elt. independently Of these elalme there may for
t..at II.rMucsty's Government know, DE other claims
)- c rl of American citizens originating iu the events
AZ te late civil Vt, While there certainly arc very
numerous British claims arising ont Of those events
which voiy desirable shorll be inquired into and adj
itcd between tie two c0c-trics The Two Governments
were Boo communication win each other ON this sohect I'D
tho latter pare u the Sar 1852, and d: ~ eon'en
ton for tc -ctlomeu. Cd such claims was actually under
their CON, ltrat0n Circumstance, however prevented
The matter being p.0ceedcd Win 40 that time. and in
decd was premature TO enter into such convention
WLi,c le ciyil v,T was s laeug, ANA new cll-
continually s,tl.iegup. Tie time seems no" 4'|o4"''
re Goternnfit q. ,c United States have brought be
forc .it A illf Majesty ore class ci CLAIMS o lttu,i
,havccr pa Forward by american c1,ns, ~ t'sS'T& s Ms 1
afc 10 lHac proposal Ar Seward; 0u' Her Majesty
ftNtihhcii Ai,c lo COZ ~ t,,oe,i'"n GoycrtInel,t
Her Maiesas Government ihuk, however tnat iey may
gaIly ngs'1 the Government W te United states 10 uL
dcrahc 'ht ,h me te'It o4 m a. tie
Co hetWci the two Governments with reference 10 te
other a - iatc aude a bo dealt with, they will agree
that. Up Ter convention 90 be separately my silhua
~. i,- ,,or seou b.. submitted to examination 10y
ton VITA g view 10 tcir eventual payment iy the Gov
,u.p ,at atiuag,d 20 bc responsible. ,..., q, ,Ic
Youwmasc communication TO Mr. seward 10 'H'
Thc Honorable 'r Frederick W. y. Bruce u. '''
ST Hto, ict BWc, 10 NtoocIy S'gisn"i i,r 1sc7
.t s M i.t i,5 y5,,, GisS TO s.r. Aains dated
August - 1904 on tle claims od iit sscs inflicted
,4 Amc.ia.li cOIuurfct N cIN' va ~, ,,ir...,l 10
icd,itc stecs during ne c.{ VIZ, t"'4 en- t yIons
me 81 d- , ,.tu ~ I,t oi and containing certain pro
Inv. Kflf
ircff nf D., claims may DE effected .
It -,g the r proposal uudcr yonr notice, cannon
, ,,..,, fo fcoy thc method adopted ny VII. Adj
.u. and have therefore tAe houol To lncc>e cory ot
,., ,'lecr tlc C1rcum,n nt oi tie United
.facs a. prepared 10 accept the uunclpe o "Ioliu"'
"S rrf,, If tr, Same umc to state that ndc-
pcudcs'y ol these claims there may DC 0,,tr W & uC'is t
On et Of American ,tIz, ns arising oul oi lV ''V-l9
Of tIr ~. vil war; while thcfo are certainly numerous
British claims arising ont or those events WHICH very
dc.lrnt'. should De- inquired into ana adjusted ..,,
Tp Governments were in c0mmhcdii ION win eath
f t, d oi n convention tor he settlement OF these
rltn, vs actually under cohslocial.o.. ic ii AZ
H. md indeed il was premature TO enter ulon 1t
& iy ', i1 now fayolabc for reyivng the subject
uuS IIer Neesiy's Government urnk may tn,y may S
,@rte r the event Of am uudcs:a d.u- being come 10
hcta thc two tioNc crnincnls a. 10 i ~ W llI
r,s,ch shall DE dealt vth tlgt md convention iQ
be .oaratcy hut amultancl lsy con, @ .eG' ,le 5i,i'l
claims OF the subjects and CtLoIs OF thc tNo tyutl'
ag sing out of the events Of tc late war may oc SUBMITTED
To Ntll glI
mission 10 De charged WitL ihe ~ @ Ol i o' 'l
with view 10 ihcr cycniu pyiHSaI he bror W h.
With The highest considerations Sir your inotI &Ut"tAr
JIG i'O" '" H. FoREIGx OFFICE Nov. 80, 1866.
SIR: transmit TO y0u. LcIowtl, copy OF note WLch
have received from the United states h>i'I az IIHs
Court iuclosng copy Of dispatch rom if Se"alu ~
the claims of the United states citizens AGAINST Great
Britain on account oi qsses nLSt3d oi ts eU.
during the late clNli war. o.. -, -..--o,,. .,o. 7
should explain that on its receipt. stated verbally 10
Mr. Adams the mpossb,lity OF replying TO It without
that my answer must bc delayed iOr some weeks .
The claims question are now, for the hrst tlme
Visers ana the length of time which has thus elapsed
since the termination of the c\li var ltS e M hotS h
that they may be dispassOnately considered OH DOM
sides. ,,..,.ors
vhich been carried at great length, and IN when
,ye argument bearing on tine saGef5 % a Scen @ i M
partial examination of the grounds on winch ese S!imS
Ice xprtions and statements Mr. Stewards dispatch
which they consider unsupported by evidence ana
tie honor OF the country they cannot allow 10 pass uhcA-
And fst with regard to assertion made az the com
incnoomcnt OF tie dispatch tlat "the sumter the Ala
hama, the Florida, the Shenandoah, and other ships OF
w2r were built, manned, armed equipped ana fitted out
n1Iiish rorl and dispatched incIeiI0n ON ny or through
the agency Of British subjects; ana were h&lDoIeG'
sheltered provided and furnished as occasion required
during their devastating career I'm ports of the realm. on
IN uorts OF British colonies lu nearly al parts OF the
glqto' .--...,-
u"Ncr-E ua M H- 'h' Il',s -, M t @ l 5lD''' ~ ~ ,S4 ~,
i4oEe 10 uu,t hlyc escaped Nr SoWdr0s recollection,
was,l American vessel aud commenced her career lv
csclt ng from The Mississippi With regard 20 the Ala
laUf The Flod' the Shenandoah, and the Georgia, Ghc
oihs vessel mentioned I'm the schedule Of caius tlcy
woe undoubtedly Of British origin. But the United
States Government vii hardly contend. that the
Power OF layius been originally dispatched ucreirom
'an O itself render The Government Of that country
aiicrf had passed from their control.
1le alabama Was. when she escaped from England.
wholly uuarmed and WcqUippcd a vessel of war. She
received her armament and Warlkc equipment her com
thc Crcsn Of Portugal where lie British GoveiTmcnt
.oue he' have exercised any jurisdiction or control over
~ doAsg
Eland ul rined ard unequipped, bat suspicion having
smted at inst her in the British Admiralty Court at
Nassau Aslich failed for want Of proof, and she
rycuual equipped as Confederate cruiser in The port
of Mon,ea That ume in The occupation OF the Confcder
ates. The Shenandoah left England uuohscryed, and,
therefore. ptquesoned; and Tor anything that had
Iransprcd, "a legitimate voyage aud was only armed,
Fquprcd s' manned as vessel OI war on Funchal a
possession OF be Crown Of fotusa The hrst lntlma-
ton which WAS received of her proceedings was from
Her MeS Consul at Tcneiihe, reporting the transfer
pf crew and aEAamCnt 10 her from the Laurel 40 tie
bcser1s on hrneml Nr Adams cttel on !he subject
dated :o 1sf # November IJi, at which time she
pears from te dispatch from tie United States Consul at
fo de Janeiro nf which copy forwarded 10 Earl
Russell by Mr.. Adams, OH tLo an 81 April, 1870
The Gc0rcia Cs.gpcd INJURY in similar manner, and
was equipped rlanned, aid armed on TIC coast Of
tlouaby I1t Wit c jaris ucOn Of tho British Crown.
Fc sailed from t.l ldc On hc I'd OF APRIL, 1863, having
cleared or A,lcy Mr. Admss letter STATING that Sic
intended lor oiser was not received NJ the 9Th
a. ipIil. tlc day on which, was subsequently
slpeii, she Tecerg her armament OIL Tia French
coast Instructions we're sent q tic Governor of Gueln-
.y l1i Sic proceeded u CAcIbQug without touching al
tLc tiaULo ItlIuos.
IS regards the TcceI&m 0t these vessels IN British
ports A. uusi , feIlcL lci1l that VIXEN they appeared
~ iu>s parts tssy Cid ~ Tie character of properly
commissioned cruisers ~ etoveiineut OF the s0htyed
Glcdai tc ~att aud that thCy received AO more lel-
fe, provision, lzAtie lGu were due 20 them m tat