Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-05-18
THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON.

and difficulties between the United States
and Great Britain has concluded its la
Lors, and tho u S. Senate is now in scs-
sion considering the report There Is
evidence that, while in minor details
many faults may be found, the Treaty is
considered with general favor by the Sen
ate, and it will probably be ratified
Below we give synopsis of the Treaty,
semi official, and undoubtedly orrect rs
far as it goes;
1.-THE treaty is to be known as the
Treaty Of Washington, for tho adjusts
ment of claims alleged by the United
States, on account of the escape Of Con-
federate cruisers from British ports, and
depredations committed by those vessels
during the late rebellion in this country.
A tribunal Of arbitration is constituted,
to consist Of five arbitrators, one appoint
cd by the United States, one by Great
Britain, and the other three each by a
designated sovereign OF a state OF Europe
or America The Treaty establishes
special rules Of neutral duty and ebliga-
tlOn, III auuItlou Cd tNC SehCih h fSSci'Nu
public law, which rules, although not
admitted by the British commissioners
to have been in force at the time, are yet
agreed to retroact and TO govern the de-
oisions BY the tribunal Of arbitration.-
The tribunal may either award damages
in detail or in gross, Mt discretion, or 1t
may refer this duty to board OF assess
sors sitting in the United States; also,
shall report from time to- time, with pay
ment to be made accordingly. The Brt>
ish Government frank y expresses its re-
greet for the occurrence Of the incidents
complained of by the United States.
For tho adjudication Of all other claims
of citizens Of the United States against
Great Britain or against the United
States, during the same period, that is
from the 18th Of April 1861, to the 9th
of April 1865, an ordinary mixed COM
mission is provided,to sit at Washington,
with an umpire, to DO nominated, if nec>
ossary, by designated friendly power.
This Limitation of time is material in
substance, for it confines reclamation
against the United States to incidents of
actual war 10 10 accompanied also with
declaration on the pert OF the British
Commissioners, to the part OF excluding
claims on account Of save property -
Great Britain does not recognize tho
claims of subjects for the seizure of cot
ton, in eases whore ,hoy took up abode
in the South during tho rebellion, as they
then became subject to the contingencies
Of war.
In regard to the fisheries, in addition
to the liberty already secured to them by
the treaty of 1878, the fishermen of the
United States shall have liberty to take
sea fish on the sea coast and shores, and
in the bays, harbors and creeks Of che
provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, and
tho colony of Prince Edward Islands,
and the island adjacent, without being
restricted to any distance from the shors,
with permission to land on such coasts,
shores, and islands, and also upon the
Magdalen islands, Tor the purpose of dry
ing theip nets and earring their fish, SUBJ
ject, of course, in this ,espect to the local
rights Of private property, and the same
right is granted to British subjects on the
eastern coast and shores Of the United
States north OF tho 39th parallel of lati-
tude This liberty is not to include, on
either side, shslIiish or salmon, and the
shsd fisheries in tho rivers ana mouths
Of rivers 1t is further agreed that fish
OIL and fish Of all kinds, except the Tsh
of inland lakes and their rivers, and ex>
cept fish preserved in oil, the produce OF
the fisheries OF the United States, or OF
the Dominion of Canada, OF Prince Edo
ward =, shall be admitted into each coun-
try respectively free Of du1y. The priv,
iloges thus conceded To the United States
are obviously the most important ones
1t is asserted by the British Government
but not admitted by the United States
that the privileges accorded to citizens o
tho United States are Of greater value
than those accorded to the citizens o
Great Britain, and to prevent or avoid
controversy on this point, it is agreed
that u mixed commission, with an umpire
to be appointed by designated irienil,
power, shall determine wSether any com
pensation for such alleged excess 0
privileges, and how much, 0sight to %
paid by the United States.
Next come the various questions o
navigation and commercial transit -vhicl
are disposed OF by declaring the nnviga
ton of the river ST Lawrence, and Ia
rivers Yucan, Porcupine and StiIHne for
ever free to the citizens or subjects o
both countries; by pro,idjng Tor TN
elual use of the WeIani, - Lawrence
and other canals in the Dominion on tn,
ona hand, and of Lake Mich gan and tn
IT Clair Ilats and canal on the other
hy providing for the free transit 81 mer
chandiso to and fro, as we'll in the Brit
i,h possessions MS in the i'nitel States
mn: aLolishing the provisional expor
duty on American lumber on the rive