Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-05-09
WASHINGTON.
The High Commission Treaty.


WASHINGTON, May S.-Douglass acts
during Pleasanton's absence.
Secretary of War Belknap's child is dead.
The child's mother died recently.
Csrcoran is worse. His doctors are con-
stantly in attendance.
The treaty was signed to-day by the
High Commission at the Department of
State The gentlemen, after this was done,
engaged in congratulations on the result
of their labOrs, expressing the belief that
they had done the most they possibly
could for the peace and honor of the two
countries.
Although the commissioners have been
cautious in talking to persons outside of
their own circle, the following points will
be found to be correct:
First. There are to be two boards of arbi-
tration or commissions. To one will be
referred the Alabama and other similar
claims, which are recognized as national,
and are to be settled on the principle of re-
sponsibility for such depredations where
the Government has exercised the utmost
diligence and possible precaution to pre-
vent privateers from being fitted out in its
ports to prey upon the commerce of pow
er with whom it is at peace. The other
board is to take cognizance of miscellaneous
claims, British and American, confined
principally to the period from the COM
mencement to the close of our late civil
war; Among these are the South Albans
claims for damages to property in that
town by the Canadians. But no claims
for the Fenian invasion of Canada are to
be admitted. AS to the claims of British
subjects for seizure of their cotton, Great
Britain, through its commissioners,
does not recognize them in cases
where such subjects took up their
domicil in the South, thereby they sub
jected themselves to all the taxes and con-
tingencies. All legitimate claims for cot
ton, will however, be considered. 1t has
been reported, without warrant, that they
will amount to thirteen or more millions. but
this is considered to be a great eXaggera-
ton; they will not probably amount to
million of dollars. There will be no diff.
Guilty in ascertaning all the particulars,
as the Treasury Department has full data
of all the seizures of cotton, the names of
the owners thereof, and all the particulars
concerning the seizures. Among the
claims which will also come before this
Board will be that of our Government
growing out of the purchase of saltpetre
in the East Indies during the war, and
which was seized by the British authOri-
ties. This Government is aware that a
full list of British claims was recently
published in that country, but it also, has
information, that many of them have
dlISAOy pSCil "AAAO w III
not come within the provisions of the
treaty Their are other miscellaneous
claims, which will come before this second
Board. The San Juan question will be
referred to the arbitration of friendly
sovereign, probably the Emperor of Bra
zil. From the documents which will ac-
company the submission, it is believed
that the decision cannot fail to be in favor
Of the United States. The treaty provides
for the free navigation Of the st. Lawrence
by vessels of the United States, and for the
use of the Canadian canals, upon the pay
ment of regular tolls. There are also,
provisions regulating the privilege
of fishing in the Canadian waters,
but these have not been ascertain
ed with sufficient accuracy to justify their
statement.
The London Times, of to-day, mistakes
in saying the treaty must be ratified by
both houses of Parliament. Legislation
will, however, be required only to carry
some of its provisions into effect
The Mixed Spanish Commission consists
of Otto, arbitrator; Gushing, Attorney on
behalf of United States political arbitra-
tor Carlisle, attorney in behalf of Spain.
The High Commission takes no cogni-
Zance of contracts between British subjects
and the Confederate Government.