The Portland daily press., 1871-12-20
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE.

menb was not in place. 1t was conclusively
shown at Nassau that she might have been fit
ted for battle in twenty-fOur hours after leaving,
her dock in the Mercy. The steamer Baham.s
preceaed her by a few days, with her arma-
ment but reached Nassau after her Mr. Adams
called the attention of Earl Russell to the char
acter and destination of the Florida February
~, and again March 25, 1o62 Inc AIaba.n.s
was launched May l5 and made her trial trip
June l.. MIR. Adams, on the I'D OF June, M
VIted Earl kusseils attention to this vessel. An
examination was ordered. The evidence uf thB
criminal character of the vessel became Sd
overwhelming that Her Majestys governments
was at length Induced to give All order Tor her
uetelItlon. Before the oruer Lad reached Law
efpooi she had escaped. She ran down to Mo-
eiIra BAY On the coast of the Isle of Anglesey,
anu there took ON board 20 or 80 men from tn,
'us hercules, with the knowledge of the Brit
80 V 1Viiol1is at LiverpooL Sne then sailed to
" w 1n.AoIes, Wnere she was met by the Agrlp
puma from LonoOn and the Bahama from LAYER
pOoi. 1hese Vessels brought her utficers her
~ ~ Mi' s "nu her coaE Inc transsnIpments
were ilaue, ana then the DrItlsh ensign was
n;tuieu uOWn aild the lnsurgent 1a0 WINS "A, isfetl
..eterence is also made To the sal,e ~ th sum
Ger aJ ulbralter; the contract Tor six more Ir,,n-
eads to be DuIIt il Great Britain; tine u,s,utal-
-ity extended u the Sumter at IrmIdal Ia Au-
gust, 1851; the reception OF tine fiorida at
Nassau IN 1868; the cases of the Georgia and
Alexandra, IN the latter the judicial determlna-
Glon OF tile British courts.
In this Connection 1t is mentioned that con-
tracts were made iii the year 1867 for the con-
struction at glasgow OF a fUrmIdaule vessel
known as the Pa4nperu 10 cost over three mil
iions sterling Tins vessel was seized at GitiS-
cow for an alleged Violation oT the foreign en-
iistlnent act Un the trial, when took pace IN
lo,'4, II appeared that the Scotch courts We're
not disposed To follow the English courts IN
Gheir lax Interpretation vi the foreign enilst
meat acts, ana tine rebels abandoned the at
Tempt to use the Pampero Il cruiser, and
ceased to contract Tor the constructor fiCIins
out OF vessels III Scotland. 1he action OF the
rench government IN preventing the execu-
sion III rance OF the contract for the coilstrGc
zion of rebel men-of-war of which SIX We're
contracted for is contrasGed with the behavior
u the British government Due notice Is taken
OF the tardy stoppage Of the rebel rams, aid
sllis part OF the closes with % repeti-
Gion Ut the position taken i'll MIR. Fish insIruc-
lions of September 18th, 1859.
Ihe next part of the statement contains a re-
view OF the separate history of each OF the rebel
cruisers against American commerce. 1t is
contended that Brush territory was, during
che wnole struggle or the re5eis, the base Ot
their naval operations. The first serious fight
nad scarcely taken place before the contracts
were made III Great Britain for the Alabama
aud the Florida. The contest was nearly over
when Waddell received his orders in Liverpool
70 sail thence in the Laurel III order to take
command of the Shenandoah, and to visit the
Arctic Ocean on a hostile cruise. This part of
the statement, from the nature of the case,
scarcely admits of abridgement although it is
most important and likely to be effective.
Many pages each are given to the separate his
Cories of the Sumter, the Nashville, the Florida
lorigInally the Oveto) aud her tenders the Car
ence, the Tacony and the Archer, the Alabama
tat first called the '290'') and her tender; the
tuscaloosa the Uncle Ben or Retribution; the
ieergIa formerly named the Virginia.; the
Tallahassee or Oiustee Originally the Atanta;l
the Chickamau "a Originally the Edith, and
The Sea King OF Shenandoah. Official docu-
.nents establish beyond question the most mate
clal facts IN all these histories, much that is inn
Jortant being found in the intercepted cores
londence OF the rebel authorities and agents;
while the published books, describing the voy-
lges of some of the most notorious of the cruis-
RS, furnish, when needed, the thread of con-
lection. The statement proceeds to review in
ietail the conduct of the other maritime powers
# the world, in maintaining genuine neutral
,ty, showing that nowhere except in Great
Britain did the rebels receive the assistance
which enabled them to protract their struggle
lgainst the power of the Union. The claims
stated by the American commissioners may be
classified as follows: First the claims for di-
rect losses growing out of the destruction OF
vessels and their cargoes by the insurgent cruis-
ers. Second, the national expenditures in the
pursuit of these cruisers. Third, the loss in the
transfer of the American commercial marine to
the British flag. Fourth, the enhanced pay
nents of insurance. Fifth, the proiongation OF
The war and the suppression of the rebellion.
No summary in figures for the claims under
either of these heads is presented in the state
ment, but reference is made to such of the pa
pers presented in evidence as will enable the
Tribunal to arrive at a just estimate. The state
nent adds: To the amount thus shown should
be added interest upon the claims to the day
when the award is payable by the terms of the
Sreaty-namcly, twelve months after the date
If the award. The usual legal rate of interest
N the city of New York is seven per cent. pei
annum. In some of the States it is greater; III
few of them, less. The United States make
claim of interest at that rate. The computa
sion of interest should be made from an average
lay to be determined. The United States sus
| ;est the first day of July, 1868, as the mos
| equitable day. The statement sets forth il
conclusion the expediency of an award by tn
tribunal of a gross sum to be paid by Grea
| Britain to the United States. The statemen
tself is contained in u printed volume of five
hundred pages, and for the greater convenience
| If the arbitrators it has been translated into
| f'rench. 1t is accompanied by seven printed
volumes containing the documents official Cor
| respondence and other evidence on which the
United States rely, the right being reserved u
| present hereafter additional documents, CORES
| )ondence and evidence
| SUMMARY OF CLAIMS FILED FOR LOSSES BY THE SEW