The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-05-12
Treaty with England.

The Joint High Commission, which
has been assembled at Washington
City for months past, endeavoriDg to
settle by treaty the Alabama Claims,
and other questions, between this
country and Great Britain has just
closed its labors.
GRANT is said to be highly pleas
ed with the result of the Commits
sioners' labors, and predicts favorable
action of the Senate. The treaty will
not be made public until the ratifca-
lions are exchanged, but the follow
ing synopsis is said be "authorita-
lively official" The treaty is 10 be
known as the treaty at Washington
for the adjustment of the claims for
injuries alleged by the United States
on account of the escape of Confede-
rate cruisers from British ports, and
depredatiOns committed by those
vessels during the late war i'm this
country.
A tribunal of arbitration is consti-
tuted to consist of five arbitratOrs,
one appointed by the United States,
one each by designated Sovereigns of
States, of Europe or America. The
treaty establishes special rules for
neutrals' duty and obligations in adj
dition to the generally receive public
laws, which rules although not adj
mitted by the British Commissioners
to have been in force at the time, are
yet, it is agreed, to restrict and gov
ern the decisions of the tribunal of
arbitration. This tribunal may eth
er award damages i'm detail or in
gross at its discretion, or it may re-
fer this duty to Board of Assessors
sitting in the United States; it shall
also report from time to time with
payments to be made accordingly.
The British government frankly. ex-
presses its regret for the occurrences
incident to the complaints of the Uni
ted States.
For the adjudication of all other
claims of the citizens of the United
States against Great Britain, and cit
liens of Great Britain against the
United States during the same period,
from the 18th of April, 1861, to the 9th
of April 1865, an ordinary mixed
Commission is provided to sit at
Washington, with an umpire to be
nominated if necessary by dcsigna-
ted friendly power. This limitation
of time is material in substance. for it
confines reclamation against the Uni
ted States to incidents of actural war.
1t is accompanied also with a declara-
ton on the part of the British Com
missioncrs excluding claims OH ac-
count of slave property. Great Brit
tain does not recognize the claims of
subjects for seizure of cotton in cases
where they took up their abode in
the South, as they became subject to
the contingencies OF war.
In regard to the fisheries, in addi-
ton TO the liberty already secured
them by the treaty of ISIS, the fisher
men of the United States shall have
the liberty to take sea fish on the sea
coast and shores and in bays, and har
bors and creeks of the Provinces Of
Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Bruins
wick. and colony of Prince Edwards
Island and the Islands adjacent, with
out being restricted TO any distance
from the shore, with permission TO
land upon such coast, shores and lands
and also upon Magdalcn Island for
the purpose of drying nets and cur
ing their fish, subject, OF course, in
this respect TO the local rights of pri-
waite property, and the same liberty
is granted 10 British subjects on the
eastern seacoast and the shores ofthe
United States north of the ;9th par
allel of latitude, this liberty not TO
include in either side she'll fish or
salmon aud shad fisheries or other
fisheries in rivers and the mouths of
rivers.
Ii is further agreed thai fish oil and
fish Of all kinds, except the fish of in
land lakes and their rivers, and cX-
ccpt fish preserved in oil, the produce
of fisheries Of The United STATES, ~