The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-31
MIR. Seward and His Real Estate Specu-
latiOns.

Mr.. Seward and His Real Estate Specu-
lntiOns.
There are still some islands on the face of
the earth that we do not own, which, however,
is not so much Mr.. Stewards fault as his mis-
fortune. We would have owned them if they
had been for sale. Now, howovor, one of
these is in the market. 1t is an important one.
1t is situated in the Malayan archipelago, has
no name worth mentioning, and is inhabited
by o race of dusky skinned fellows with three
cornered faces, who sleep twenty-five hours
day.. We will extend to them the blessings of
universal suffrage and wake them up. This
island is offered to us by a magnate named
Moreno, who is not the least sheepish in his
style. He does not own the island, but he has
seen it-he has been on it, in fact, talked with
the natives and got away alive. He now
offers to us his whole right, title and
claim to said premises for half million
dollars. This is fabulously cheap, and
if Mr.. Seward does not close the bar
gain at once, giving Moreno the half million,
and taking a memorandum Of the latitude and
longitude of the island, he will fail in his duty
to the American people. This is q rare chance.
The island will be a satisfactory equivalent for
St. Thomas, which Is untenable on account of
the earthquakes 1t is possible that Turkey,
which is anxious to get the Cretans of her
hands, may sell us presently their island home.
On the first occasion on which the islands
called Great Britain are in the market we
shall buy them, and if we then own this
Eastern scrap the bird Of freedom will have
foothod on all the quarters of the earth.
The United states Naval snit Judgment In
tho case Of the Bordeaux sbipbuIIders.
Our readers have been kept familiar with
the progress Of the case of The United States
VS.. Arman ct ais, and they will therefore
not be surprised that on Wednesday last
judgment was rendered against the plaintiffs,
with costs. Although the main point involved
in the case was not reached this judgment is
in perfect consonance with the disposition Of
the French government during the war to
favor the Southern confederacy as much as pos
sible, especially by overlooking, If not by con-
niving at the schemes Of such representatives
of the Confederate authorities as Mr. Slidell
and his son-in-law, Mr.. Erlanger, and their
agents. The court says simply in its decision
that the evidence was insufficient to sustain
the case offered by the United States-that the
plaintiffs failed to prove that the Mcssrs.
Arman had contracted to build vessels of war
for the Southern confederacy or that they had
received any moneys belonging to the United
States. NJ. Berger, the great French orator,
seems never to have welded his marvellous
eloquence more effectively than in exposing
the fallacy of his opponent. M. Chevnier, in
attempting parallel between the War Of In
dependence and tho War of Secession. M
Berger denounced the latter as "an insur-
rection that had for Its object but one cause,
which no one here would dare to sustain and
avow-that of slavery" 1t was, therefore, he
contended, cause with which France, the
ancient ally Of the United States, could not
legitimatcly sympathize. But even the elo-
quence of Berger was unavailing In the pre-
sent case against the logical consequences Of
imperial preudices unfavorable to the United
Statea.