The New York herald., 1871-05-17

ference held on the Sd OF NAV was read an
cesdea Sn Ins ,S Hga M daen pre-
lerred TO them. The statement prepared by tn
,Slnt pIotoeolists in accoranoe with the request
ence was then read as foll0ws:-
statements articles TO IL. At the conference
sioner stated that the people and government OF th
United States felt that they had sustained grea
wrong wrong and that great injuries and losses were In
nlcted upon their commerce and their material IN
terests by the course and conduct Of Grea
Britain during the recent rebellion II
CURED IN Great Brian ss' and wHa' her s Colonies M
during that period had given rise 10 feelings In tk
5 UNITED States states which The people q the United
the history Of the Alabama and other cruisers which
na9 Deen ntted out or armed or equipped, or which
OF IN her colonies and OF the operations OF those
vessels, showed extensive direct losses In the cap
with their cargoes, and in the I heavy natonai II ex
pendltures IN the pursuit OF the cruisers, and
indlrect INJURY In the transfer OF large part OF the
american comm erclal marine to the British flag
IN the enhanced payments OF insurance, IN the pro
longatlon Of the war; aud IN the addition Of large
sum 70 the cost Of the war and the suppression 0
the rebellion: and also showed that Great Britain
~ reason OF failure IN the proper observance Of heI
dates @ o, as q neutral mad become Justly liable lol
the acts OF those cruisers ana OF their tenders
!nat the claims for the loss and destruc-
Ion Ion Oh private property which had thus far
Of eoiials without Interest, Which amount ana % Was
liable to be greatly Increased by claims which had
not Deen preaented that the cost 10 which the gov.
eminent had been put III the pursuit OF cruisers
could easily be ascertaned by certificates OF govern
ment accounting officers; that In the hope of an
arat aacaCe settlement no estimate was made o. the
the right to indemnlncation on rher ac-
count IN the event OF no such settlement being
made. Tne American Commissioners further stated
that they hoped that the British Commissioners
Would pc able TO place upon record an expression OF
datons committed Ey the Vessels whose 'c acts We're
now under discussion; they also proposed that the
J0ins .,n, hlgn Commission should agree upon sum
otes ID satislacti0n O all the claims and the iuer
The British Commissioners replied that her Ma.
lestys government could not admit that Great
Britain had failed to discharge towards the United
states the duties imposed on her by the rules in
tefnatl0nal law, or that she was Justly liable to
make good to the United States the losses occa-
stoned py the acts OF the cruisers 10 which the
American commissioners had referred. They re
minded the American Commissioners that several
vessels suspected OF being designed to cruise against
United states including two iron clads, had been
arrested or detained by the British government and
that that government had IN some instances not
confined itself to the discharge Of International
stance when 1t acquired at greet cost to Ihe coun-
try, the control OF the Anglo-Chlnese nola, which,
n',s was might be used against me
responsibility for the acts Of the Alabama and me
Willingness, for ~ the a sake oi the ss0w main1er ner
nance Of friendly relations with The United
S,tatess 70 adopt the principle OF arbitra-
could be found, and that an agreement could be
come to as to the points to which arbitration should
ing In detail 10 the statement Of the American Com
missloners in tue hope tnat the necessary Tor enter
ing upon heightened controversy might be OBJ
waited Dy the adoption OF so fair mode Of SETTLE
Ment as that Which they were Instructed to- pro-
pose and they had now TO repeat Oh behalf OF their
government, the offer Of arbitration.
The American Commissioners expressed their re-
gret ut this decision OF the British Commissioners
and sale further, tnat they could not consent 70
sunmlt the question OF the liability OF her Majesty's
government TO arbitration unless the principles
which should govern tine arbitrator in the consdera.
replied that they mad no authority to
agree to SUBMISSION OF these claims to an arbtra-
e tor Win inssractions - as to the principles which
Lhat they should be willing to consider what princi-
pies should be adopted for Observance in future but
ductlng arbitration was to submit the facts to the
and leave him free to decide upon them
alter hearing such arguments as might be neces-
sary. 10 g
The American Commissioners replied that they
were willing to consider what principles should be
laid down Tor observance In similar cases future,
with the understanding that any principles that
should be agreed upon snould De held to be applca-
De to The iacts N respect TO the Alabama claims.
c3}slq nel aamt shat @ @ there nAd TO accede
70 proposal for laying Gown rules for the guidance
OF the arbitrator, but that they would make known
70 their government the s,S views Of the American
Al the respecliye conferences on March Q, March
10, March Is and March II the Joint High Commits:
comn'sssioners ceaiS dearca 70 see adopted for
observance BY the two governments In future. At
the close OF the conference OF the l4th OF March the
Britsh Uommssoners - reserveu neir ssvepa quesu1n %
conference Of the 5th Of April the British Commis-
soners stated that they were instructed BY her Ma
lesty's government ~ declare That ner MaJestys
government could not assent to the proposed
rules as O statement Of PRINCIPLES OF inter-
ie wnen ans Alabama claims arose. but that her
Maestys government, IN order to ev1nce It's desire
Of Strengthening the friendly relations between the
two countries ana OF making satisfactory provision
for the future, agreed that In deciding the questions
between the two countries arising out OF those
claims the arbitrator should assume that her Ma
iesty's government had undertaken to act upon
the American Commissioners mad proposed
VIZ, that neutral government Is bound
F0'st-TO use due diligence to prevent the fitting
out, arming equipping, within It's jurisdiction, Of
any vessel which 1t has reasonable ground to believe
Is Intended to cruise carry on war against P0wev
with which 1t Is at peace, and also TO use like dN
gence to prevent the departure from It's jurisdiction
of any vessel intended 10 cruise or carry on war as
above such vessel having been specially adapted IN
whole or IN part within such jurisdiction, to warlLe
use, ta~s'- "'-'f ~
Secondv-yot to permit or suffer either bellIgerent
to make use OF Its ports or waters rs the base OF
naval operations against the other, or fer the pur.
pose oi the renewal or augmentation 0f military
ihrdla-TO exercise due diligence In les own
ports or waters and as to all persons within Its
jurisdiction to prevent any violation oil tue foregoing
obligations and duties. IL being conauion Of thus
undertaking that these obligations should In future
be held to lie binding Internationally between the
Two countries
It Was also settled that. in deciding the matters
submitted 10 him. the arbitrator should be governed
by the foregoing rules, which mad been agreed upon
as rules TO be taken as applicable to the case, and
by such principles OF international law not incon-
sisteut thcrewilh as the arbitrator should detefmle
10 have been applicable 70 the case;-
The Joint High Commission then proceeded to
consider the form Of submission and the manner OF
constituting tribunal OF arbitration at the confer
enccs on the 9th, sth, 9th. 10th and l2tn OF APRIL
The JOINT High Commission considered aud dis
cussed the form OF submission, tue manner Of the
award aud the mole OF selecting the Arbl-
traitors. The American Commissioners, referring
TO the hope which they had expressed on the Sth OF
March, inquired whether the British Commissioners
were prepared to place upon record an expression
OF regret Dy her MWcstys government for the depre-
dalOns committed by the vessels whose ACTS were
now under discussion, and the British Commission
crs replied that they were authorized to express
In friendly spirit the regret felt by her Majesty's
government for the escape, under whatever crcnm-
.Nfs st,a Alolo apI nj yes ron