Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-10
Alleged Authoritative Official State.
ment.

Washington, May s. The following will
appear in the Washington National RepuDli-
can tomorrow morning: 1t is an authorita-
tive official statement of the result of the la
bors of the Joint High Commission. The
treaty is to be known as the treaty of Wash
ington, for the adjustment of claims of in
jury, alleged by the United States, on account
of the escape of confederate cruisers from
British ports and depredations committed by
those vessels during the late rebellion in this
country. A tribunal of arbitration is consti-
tuted, to consist of five arbitrators, one APP
pointed by the United States, one by Great
Britain and the other three each by desg-
mated sovereign State of Europe and Amer-
ca. The treaty establishes special rul les of
national duty and obligation, in addition to
the generally received public law which
rules, although not admitted by the British
Commissioners to have been in force at the
time, are yet, it is agreed, to retract and to
govern the decisions of the tribunal The
arbitration of this tribunal may either award
damages in detail or in the gross at its dis
erection, or it may refer this duty to a board
of Assessors sitting in the United States, who
shall report from time to time, the payment
to be accordingly. The British Government
frankly expresses its regret for the occur
renee of the incidents complained of by the
United States. For the adjudication of all
other claims of citizens of the United States
against Great Britain, or of the subjects of
Great Britain against the United States dur
ing the same period-thati is, from the 18th of
APRIL 1861, to the 9th of April, 1S65--an or
binary mixed commission is provided to sit at
Washington, with an umpire to be nominated
if necessary, by designated friendly power.
This limitation of the time is material in sub
stance, for it confines reclamation against the
United States to incidents of actual war. 1t
is accompanied also with declaIa alton on the
part of the British Commissioners to the eff
feet of excluding claims on account of slave
property. Great Britain does not recognize
the claims Of her subjects for the seizure of
cotton in cases where they took up their
abode in the South, las they became subject to
the contingencies of war.
In regard to the fishery question, in addition
to the liberty already secured to them by the
treaty of 1918, the fishermen of the United
States shall have the liberty to take sea fish
on the sea coast and shores, and in the bays.
| harbors and creeks of the Provinces OF Que
bee, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and
the colony of Prince Edwards Island and
islands adjacent, without being restricted to
any distance from the shore, with permission
to land upon such coasts, shores and Isla Ids,
and also upon the Magdalen Islands, for the
purpose of drying their nets and curing their
fish, subject, Of course, in this respect, to the
local rights of private property and the same
liberty is granted to British subjects on the
eastern coasts and shores of the United
States north of the thirty-nnth parallel lati-
tude. This liberty is not to include on either
side she'll fish, or salmon, or the shad fish
cries, or other fisheries, in rivers and at the
mouths of rivers. 1t is also agreed further
that fish oil and fish of all kinds, except the
inland lakes and their rivers, and except fish
preserved in oil the produce of the fisheries
of the United States or the Dominion of Can
ada or Prince Edwards Island shall be ad
mitted into each country, respectively, free
OF duty. The privileges thus conceded to tbs
United States are obviously most important
ones. 1t is asserted by the British Govern
ment, but not admitted by the United States
that the privileges accorded to the United
States are of greater value than those accord
ed to the subjects of Great Britain, and tc
prevent and avoid controversy on this poin