New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-08
BRITISH CLAIMS ARISING OUT or THE
REBELLION.

The Washington correspondents OF some OF
orr cOtemDoraries borrowing trouble TOT
themselves. and seeking to alarm the puDhc
mind about damages TO fabulous amount
which they imagine may be awarded to British
subjects under the supposed terms OF conJec-
turaI treaty for injuries sustained from our
troops during the Rebellion. The last steamer
brings us n Parliamentary document which may
servo to allay if not wholly TO dispel such appre-
bensions. IL is The Correspondence between
"British subjects residing in France and the
"Forcign Office in reference to the loss oil
property since the entry OF the German Army
"into France Our space allows but few
specimens. Robert William Kirby writes, De-
oember IS, 1870, to Lord Lyons. informing him
that, on hearing Of the entry OF the Prllssians
into village two leagues from his chateau,
he hoistcd the British flag over his gate. The
next evening Colonel of UhlanS turned the
family. ladies included. out OF their rooms,
which no and his officers proceeded to occupy
ordered dinner prepared for his officers and
soup for twenty men also. Not satisfied with
GOOD Bordeaux, the officers insisted upon six
bottles of champagne, and got them; demanded
feather beds and fires in their roons-in short,
! made all the trouble they could. The soldiers
took all the Winters store of oats and most
| of the hay In a day or two, there were SIM
| liar visitations by other Prussian detachments,
with miscellaneous plunderng. Here was John
Bull in France in an aggravated state OF
mind but mark how coOlly Earl Granville
treats the matter. He writes TO Lord Lyons,
on the nth of January, 1871
al have to instruct you TO scquant that gentleman
| mr. Kirbyl that, much as HerAMacsty's Government
regret the inconvenience and loss to which ne ana MS
family exposed it is out of their power TO interfere
10 obtain any redress for him. inasmuch az foreigners
residing in country which is the seat of war are equally
Liable with the Of that country TO have acquisitions
levied on their property by the belligeronts am &C.
| GRANVILLE"
COmplaints OF a similar nature multiplied, ana
repeated applications were made by British
subjects to the Embassy in Paris for indemnity
for their losses. In reply to his request for
instructions, Earl Granville wrote, March l.
1871, to the Secretary of that Embassy as fol-
lows:
have consulted the law officers of the Crown upon
the point submitted to in your dispatch OF the Ath
February AZ TO tho claims OF British subjects to be in
IDENTIFIED for the loss OF property during the war; ana
have now TO acquaint you that Am advised by them
that Hor Maestys subjects resident in France whose
has been destroyed during the war cannot OK
meet TO be on the ground of their being
British subjects for losses which the necessities OF war
have brought upon them in common with French sub
jects lam, &c. GRANVILLE
In a dispatch to Lord Lyons, under date of
March 49, 1871, Earl Granville reiterates the
doctrine of the preceding letter as IAN estab-
lished principle"
On the 23d March, 1871, Earl Granville COM
| municates to Lord Lyons. and on the 2Sth to
| an individual sufferer, the opinion of the law
officers "that British subjects resident in France
"would have no just ground of complaint
" against the French authorities in the event
% of their property having been destroyed by
" the invading armies. Their losses, under
" such circumstances, would be among the In
evitable consequences of war raging in a
" state within which they have chosen, as for
" eigners, to take up their residence"
| The upshot is that, in the opinion of the
British Government, people who put themselves
| in the way of the devastation of two contend
ing armies cannot ask the Government to pay
for the harm that happens. This is no new
doctrine it only happens to be convenient just
now to have this fresh recognition OF 1T by
| Great Britain. We presume that Secretary
Fish had before him the presidents set by
| England France, Austria, Russia, etc, when he
framed any scheme for the adjudication OF
British claims.