The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-27
RELATIONS WITH ENGLAND.
The Joint High Commission-Its Labors
Practically Ended-The IL u m o red
Estes pf Settlement.
washington Correspondence OF the New York
Tribune.

Washington Correspondence OF the New York
TIlbune.l
WASHINGTON, April IS.
The Joint High Commission has substantial
" completed Is labors, and will have the
basis for the settlement Of the questions pend
ing between this country and England ready
by the first of next month. Though the results
Of the two months negotiations are unknown:
the questions themselves are freely discussed
In political circles here, and important opinions
have been expressed by senators and others
as to what terms OF settlement the United
States will accept.
It is quite positively asserted by some that
the commissioners have agreed on q basis for
the adjustment of the Alabama claims, which
will be acceptable 10 the Senate aud to The
country. This belief Is based on The tact that
this question has been so widely discussed,
both IN this country and In England, That the
commissioners ought to have known before
hand what conditions would be acceptable TO
their respective nations, and also on hints that
have been thrown out in official circles. There
are some, however, who, like General Butler,
do not believe that the country Will accept any
settlement that so far has been guessed at as
likely to be made. They say that the claims
mount to only about s13, 0o0, oo0-equal to the
income Of the United States for thirteen days
and that they are nearly all held by Insurance
companies, the representatives OF which testi-
fled before the committee Of ways and means
last winter that their charges for ir-
surance were SO great during the war
that their actual losses were very light.
1t is also said that many of the yes:
sells destroyed were insured In Liverpool, and
that much ofthe money paid BY England will
20 TO her own subjects. They deny that the
establishment, as u principle Of international
law, that q neutral nation shall not build anu
fit ont vessels for nations at war will facilitate
in the least the settlement OF the question IN
the opinion OF the people. That Is Just what
we want to do, they say. When we had q val
upon our hands England took advantage OF
the circumstance to build up her commerce
and establish many of her great ship yards,
and now, when England gets into trouble, our
ship-huilders aud merchants ought to have the
same privileges.
Those who would maintain the position
taken by the Senate, and 80 unanimously ap-
proved by the country when the johnson.
Clarendon treaty was rejected, scout the idea
that We can in any possible way get into q waS
with England at this time. They say that Waz
with the United States Is the last thing that
England will engage In at present.
Two classes OF public men here doubt the
ability Of the commission to agree upon q plan
for the settlement oil the fishery question thar
the Senate will atily and The country approve,
and which will at the same time be salislacto-
~ w IiC OallQhtQu NOfC1A ouJ llOusJ
TO establish the right Of Americans to fish In
Canadian waters, which In any way recog-
nizes the Dominion Government as a semi. in
dependent power, with which the United
States is in any way to negotiate or enter into
arbitration, and any that contains in 1t an ele-
ment OF reciprocity between'lhe United States
and Canada, IL Is not believed would be
agreed to by the Senate. The objection to
such a basis Of settlement with many senators,
would be that it would tend to check the
growth Of public opinion In Canada favoring
independence or union with the United States,
and while they would not advocate positive
measures to bring about this, they would do
nothing 10 defeat it: 1t is not believed,
therefore, by those who are familiar
with the repeated warnings that have
been given the American Commission
by men whose influence is greatest here,
that they have fallen into the grave error Of
agreeing that the United States shall pay 10
Canada any sum OF money to be determined
on by arbiu ,tion. We might agree, 1t 10 said,
10 pay GreaJ Britain, II the Justice oil such q
course could be shown, but never to Canada.
General Butler, who represents the fishing IN.
terest of the country, thus figures out the rea
value OF the privilege to hsh within three
miles Of the Canadian shore. or the 400, 600
barrels macEerel caught last year by American
fishermen mo other Kind OF fish is caught with
In the three-mile limit q, 900 were caught In
Canadian waters; OF these but oue-iflh, or 400
We're taken within the three-mile limit. These,
at SIS per barrel, would amount to sec, 600
The profits of catching mackerel are about Is
NET cent, and this, minus the interest, or nine
per cent. OF $685. 600, equal 10 s594o a year, Is
lie cash value 10 the Canadas OF the fish ta.