The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-05-14
The Negotiations with Great Britain.
Prospect Of a Supplemental Treaty

| NEW YORK, May 12.-The Heralds Wash
ington dispatch says that on Saturday morning
Secretary Fish fastened to the President with
| dispatch from Minister Schenck, inform
ing him of the acceptance by the British Gov
eminent of the final proposition he had made
to Lord Granville on Friday morning with re-
| speot to our consequential claims. The propo-
stion was for short supplemental treaty bear
Ing upon the question of indirect claims alone
These claims, it was suggested by Mr.. Fish,
could be covered by the fourth retrospective
rule laid down for the guidance of the Geneva
tribunal, setting forth that whenever the United
States or Great Britain was engaged in war and
the other power was a neutral, and by want
OF due diligence on the part of the neutral any
privateer or hostile vessel should escape from
It's waters, or equip or renew its hostile strength
IN neutral ports the latter should only be liable
for direct damages inflicted upon the belliger-
ents by the operations of such vessel The
erect OF such an understanding would be to en-
able the United States to leave its whole case
before the tribunal as originally presented by
removing the objection that the consequential
claims we had preferred found no sanction or
warranty in the treaty. The agreement of the
Gladstone Ministry to this proposal of Friday
was not hoped for until Minister Schenck's dis
patch was received. The President will submit
the correspondence to the Senate in an execu-
tive communication, and ask that body to adj
wise and consent to supplemental treaty
Leading Republican Senators attended at the
White House Saturday evening and had a long
conference with the President The prospects
OF success of supplemental treaty were dis
cussed, and the consultation will tend material
y to insure its favorable consideration by the
Senate.
y, The Times Washington dispatch states that
the statement of Gladstone and Granville COW
ering the correspondence relative to the Wash
lngton treaty, will probably be given to Parlia-
for the Whtsuntide recess. If the entire cor
respondence is thus submitted to England the
President will send the same to the Senate as
an executive document, and this correspond
ence will cover all dispatches, Geographic and
mall which have passed, including the yery
latest. If only brief statement of the case il
made In Parliament, then it is probable that a
IKE course Will be pursued here in a message to
the Senate. Although the President is anxious
That the whole correspondence should go before
the country at an early day. he is confident that
the action of the Administration will be fully
approved.
Some weeks ago the British Cabinet made
proposition to settle the principle involved in
Geneva tribunal, believing this Government
did not press for any award of money damages.
put they assumed that the indirect claims were
10 De withdrawn in consequence of such pro-
Posal being made. This assumption led to a Sc
rious misunderstanding. The reply of our Gov
eminent was, that while we were willing not to
press TOR pecuniary verdict, it had no power
or desire to settle principle of international
law outside the tribunal, save by the advice and
consent of the Senate.
To this the British Cabinet has responded.
proposing, in positive terms, a new article to
the treaty, which will be communicated to the
Senate to-day, with the rest of the correspond
ence, and upon which the Senate is expected to
take action. This new article it is understood,
will set forth these facts and propositions, viz:
That, whereas Great Britain holds that the
question of consequential damages is not re-
terred to the Geneva tribunal; and wherees,
the United States holds directly the reverse;
and, whereas, both Governments are agreed as
to the manner in which the principle involved
shall be settled, therefore, this new article,
which declares that hereafter neither nation
shall make any claims upon the other for con-
sequential damages because of any failure ON
the part of either to observe strict neutrality
when the other Is belligerent, is proposed to be
held as such settlement in accordance with the
well understood desire of the two Governments.
If unfavorably acted ON by the Senate, the in
direct claims will be withdrawn