The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-05-09
LATEST FROM WASHINGTON.
Close Of the Joint High Commission
The Treaty SfeDeG.

WASHINGTON, May S.-The treaty agreed
upon by the Joint High Commission was
signed at the State Department to-day.
The commissioners, after the signing, eX-
changed congratulations on the result of
their Iabors, expressing the belief that they
had done the most they possibly could for
the peace and honor Of the two countries.
The following points OF the treaty will be
found correct:
1st. There are to be two boards Of arbi.
tration or commissioners. To one will be
referred the Alabama and other similar
claims, which are recognized as national,
and to be settled on the principle of respon-
sibility for such depredations where the
Government has exercised the utmost dill
gence and every possible prccaution to pre-
vent priyateerS from being fitted out in its
ports to prey upon the commerce OF power
with whom it is at peace. The other board
is to take cognizance of miscellaneous
claims of British subjects and American
from the commencement to the close of the
late civil war. Among these are the st.
Adams claims for damages to property in
that town by Canadians but no claims for
the Fenian invasion of Canada are to be
admitted.
AS to the claims of the British subjects
for seizures OF their cotton, Great Britain,
through her commissioners. does not re-
cogniZe them in cases where such SUBJECTS
took up their domicils in the South, as
thereby they subjected themselves to all the
risks and contingencies OF war. All lesltl-
mate claims, however, for cotton will be
considered. The cotton claims will not
amount to more than 81 200, 900, and can
be easily settled, as the names OF the par
ties and dates OF seizure are all registered
in the Treasury Department.
Among the claims that will come before
that board will be that of the United States
Government tor saltpetre bought in East
India during the war and seized by the
British Government. a full list of British
claims has recently been published In Eng
land, many of which, it is known, have
already been settled, while others will not
come within the provisions of this treaty.
| There are other miscellaneous claims which
| are to come before this second board.
ID. The San Juan question will be REFER
red to the arbitration of a friendly sover-
cin-probably the Emperor of Brazil.
From the documents which will accom-
pany the submission, it is believed that the
decision cannot fail to be in favor Of the
United States.
The treaty provides for the free naviga-
ton of the st. Lawrence river by vessels OF
| the United States, and for the use of the
Canadian canals upon the payment Of reg
ular tolls. There are also provisions regl-
lating the privilege to fish in Canadian Wa
tiers, put these have not been ascertained
with sufficient accuracy to justify their
statement.
The London Times. of this morning
makes mistake in saying that the treaty
must be ratified by both Houses of Parlia-
menr. Legislation, however, will be re-
ouired 10 carry some of its provisions into
effect.
The commission takes no cognizance of
contracts between British subjects and the
Confederate Government.
Animal and Agricultural statistics
What the Government OK n OW
About FarmiEs."
WASHINGTON, May San investigation
Of the condition of the farm animals of the
United States, made by the Agricultural
Bureau, shows fewer losses, from MI causes,
in the past season than for several years
before. Losses amounting to millions OF
dollars have heretofore been reported, but
no epidemic has lately prevailed in any por,
ton of the country. Restrictive laws, and
the practice of gathering Texas herds at
frontier depots, have reduced the rayages
of splenic fevers.
The foot and mouth diseases, which
spread through New York and New Eng
land, was not fatal, and has nearly disap-
peared. Pleur0-pneumonia has been re-
duced to O few cases near the cites of the
| Middle States, and Charlton is now almost
unknown in the South. Horses have been
comparatively healthy. Swine have ex-
hibited the greatest comparative mortality,