The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-04-13
The Alabama Claims.
rnE CASE Or GREAT BRITAIN.


The case submitted to the Geneva Board Of Ar
bitration by the counsel OF Great Britain, in regard
to the iigJGHd Claims has been published
The document Is divided into ten parts
Part I. saws that no definite or complete state
ment OF the American Claims has ever been fur
nished. The Treaty OF Washington and previous
correspondence viii supply. however, a general
definition Of the demand made by the United States.
Rule two of article SIX OF the Treaty OF Washington
Is quoted as follows:
"A neutral government is bound not 10 permit
or suffer either belliCrrent 70 make use OF its ports
or waters a. A base Of naval operation against the
other, or for the purpose OF the renewal or augmrn-
taiiou Of military supplies or arms or the recruit
mtnt OF men
This rule Is interpreted as prohibiting the supply
of war-Taging vessels from neutral ports. but IS
not prohibitOrv of the sale of arms or munitions Of
war in the ordinary course OF commerce
The claims unlimited are for damages growing
ont OF the acts OF vessels, respecting which the
United States assert that Great Britain failed IN
her international duty. The tribunal must deter
mine the question Of failure of duty.
II it decides that there has been such failure
then it must award a gross sum for damages. or
define the limit of liability for the guidance of the
assessors Of said damages. The circumstances OF
the sailing of the steamers alabama, Florida,
Georgia and Shenandoah were dissimilar but
Great Britain maintains that in respect to none OF
them has she failed of her international obligations
or rendered herself Justly liable.
Part ii. gives a history of the civil war in the
United States. showing that the course of England
dDO VI III MAI 4lla4t lC"NA6 "N' O"C "a A5ANNL
and INSCRIPTIONS neutrality.
Part Ill. makes a statement of international
rights and duties of the laws of England bearing
thereon. and Of the faithful performance and exc
cutiOn thereof by Great Britain during the war
1t also gives q detailed account of the action OF
Ministers Adams and Earl Russell to prevent the
departure of the rebel cruisers.
Part ". shows the limits of the powers pos
sessed by the British Government to prevent such
departures.
Parts V, VI VII, and VIII, respectively, pre-
sent in detail the facts relating to the steamers
Florida, -4IdbdmG, Georgia and Shenandoah.
/ Part TX sets forth that the steamers Georgia and
Shenandoah were never equipped for war in the
British dominions.
Her Majesty's government was only informed Of
these vessels after their departure. The alabama
and Florida, even, did not receive their rmaments in
British dominions. The peculiar circumstances Of
the .Aiobama's escape are recited, and England's
vigilant endeavors to prevent her sailing, as well as
Americas failure in the attempt to capture her, are
insisted upon.
Part X, complains of the disadvantages under
which Great Britain labors in meeting an UMPIRE
scented case.
The document concludes as follows
"While England regrets the departure of rebe
cruisers from her ports, she cannot acknowledge the
justice of the claims against her for necuniary dam
ages for their acts. The United States must solidly
establish the fact of England's negligence. England
is ready to accept the award of the tribunal of arbi
t%ration, whether favorable or unfavorable. She de
sires only that it shall be just