The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-05
The Comments Of tho English Press on the De-
bate in the House Of Lords Concern
Ing The Washington Treaty.
What Is the Government Going to Do
About Those Consequential
Damagas2
Lord Derby's Questions and Earl
Granville's Reply.

cussed the debate In the House or Lords the night
previous on the Washington Treaty. The following
extracts VIII enable the readers Of the HERALD 10
form some idea or the temper In which the debates
IN Parliament and the discussions In the press are
considered.
TIE London Times concludes leader on the de.
bate as follows:-
Lord DerDy's special question yesterday referred
TO the sending In or the counter case. readers
counter case must be sent in within three weeks
II II is to be sent IN at ali. The provso Tor extend
Ing the time applies only when there II evidence TO
be produced from o distance, ana we are not aware
that any suggestion Of this kind can he advanced
Lord Derby thought there could be no objection to
state what course the government intended 10 pur-
18th II must 10 settled and .he result made known.
AZ subsidiary question, he asked whether care
snould not in any way commit us TO an admission
that the claims SET forth IN the American case
covered by sle treaty. Lord Granville, as we nave
said, replied that he was not IN position TO answer
these questions, but we can scarcely suppose We
10 understand mat the course to De pursued has
been decided upon. LORD Granvllle's Ietlcence is
rather to be ATTRIBUTED TO undue disrnst OF himself
and OF his countrymen- OF himself IN fearing that
answering one question, which might De answered,
would betray MIN into answering another, which
should not be answered; ana OF his counrymen IN
polite reserve and must be de barred by hard ana
last resolution from all knowledge lest little kn0wl
edge should make them unreasOnably greedy Tor
more. In matter ike the present there must be
confidence on both sides; the Ministry must trust
and the greater the confidence between the two
the stronger WIN the Ministry be In negotiating
o 1 0srys M % .Ie m %
saving that no Iii consequences need from the
sendlnS IN Oh the counter case II proper precautions
be taken. Care must be taken TO notify to the
Board OF ArbItrators, as Wen as to the Unned
States, that we submit our counter case without
prejudice to the objections We have urged
70, parts OF the American case. We must
tell the aroltrators that, with the greatest re-
spect for them aud confidence In Their judgment
surprising tne dinlcuty lay within their jurisdic-
ton, we cannot allow that II Is any part OF their
duty to Interpret the limits OF the lelelence made
to them, winch can be settled only by the agree
menL OF the Two Powers, the United Kingdom ana
arrived al the next stage OF the proceedlngs-
that Is 10 say, within the two months ~ the END OF
iivered-it viii become our painful duty TO with.
draw ao1et hef from further resort to The arbltra.
aion We can no no ess man ms Il we woala c.
arbitrators TO undertake the labor OF examining
son to lear that nothing would come Of tnSm I' l.
VIII, OF course, be necessary to denver a similar
I'VE shall thus Keep ourselves safe for every coatln.
Ecncy. But when, from THIS question as 10 the
noansr OF case pr9 yo Tne eys OF the
sion Of the pretonsions III toe original we turn
70 Son the Man a sSs ss see e 70 spTe
at the simplicity OF men who can believe that their
arguments Will persuade the American government
the treaty Is It's only true Interpretation, ana as
such was accepted 10y the American Commissioners,
when twas drawn up, approved ana ratified by
them respectively. II our Mlnstry do not hope to
convert President Grant to the conviction that he
ana MI Fish and the Senate thought last year that
consequential claims were lnadmlssibe under Inc
OF the claims made IN The American case without
which the arbitration must lapse The reformation
quential CLAIMS OF tic Tune Of argument Will
amount to an admission in the face OF tho people
viii count nothing Impossible in the future, but,
realizing the eXtent OF tls enterprise, We awcit With
equaninlty any result.
The daily News treats the subject In a different
spirit and complains OF the petuanoe exhibited BIZ
the opposition. The article concludes thus:-
The debate came to an abrupt close last night.
TGere was not much TO be said when once Lord
Granville mad announced. IN answering the ques.
prepared 10 go. the country VIII not We tnlnk, be
disposed to lind fault with that answer. We know
mat the consequential damages VIII not be admitted
into the peadlngs; but we also know That our
they can. THIS iniination VIII be welcome 10 che
country. 1t may seem nne and spirited thlGg Ill
noble LORD TO declare that nc does not care now
country does not view the matter In that
iiglt. Whatever mistake may have been made on
which no mistake can exist. In both countries the
Treaty o. washington was received with acclama-
the principle which would settle International dis.
putes by peaceful arbitration and not by the sword,
u Is not hight tning that such an attempt should
fa. the failure would. on the contrary he a heavy
calamity to the world. We are glad TO dnd that our
failure. II II Is to come, shall py no fault OF
ours. We are glad TO md tnat there Is still
iaenaSie ana more snGigned than NH that nV we
should take the advice so I)erally rendered last
night, and petulantly tear up our part Of the
treaty, rather than condescend to argue as to
Its Interpretation. The country Will be glad to hear
that the government has no such intention We
DO not want to press the Cabinet for O lull
account OF all the details OF their reply. Even Lord
Derby did not seem much inclined TO urge the
aaff n ar q I'm nnnI ondf Cpt thu
present we can do nothing better than leave iu
there. The debate, or, rather, the conversation, In
without It's value 1t showed the strong hope and
the resolute good spirit OF the government, and
VIII, We THINK, give new announcement to the
country.
The London Morning Post complains OF the
silence in which the negotiations between the gov
ernment ana the United States are being conducted
Earl Granville Is as retlcent ever, and, though
but few days now remain before the assembling
or the Geneva Conference, no idea outside Of the
government can be formed OF the course to be pur.
sued. The consequential damages are still harpcd
upon and the Post refers to the matter In this way
ana draws the following conclusions:-
II might at first sight appear unimpOriant that a
claim LOT consequenual DAMAGE should he pre-
istod that no compensaon should be awarded for
such loss. II mas been suggested more than once
that the dnculty which has arisen In respect the
treaty Is purely shadowy, and, inasmuch as the
government OF the United states never expected to
be recouped for the remote damage alleged In their
case 10 nave flowed from the operations OF the Con.
federatc cruisers and as we never intended That
our liauty lor such damage should be put In issue,
obstacle should exist to the re-establlsh
ment OF perfect harmony between the two govern
ments. II the one side does not want that when
the side Is resolved not to give why II is asked
should there be any serious contention about mean
fngless words2 What can u matter that the govern.
ment OF the United States insist that they are
not deDarred by the treaty from asking tho
Tribunal 10 award them compensation for conse.
qucntla damage, II OF the same time they assure US
practically forego the satisfaction which they seek
we must reply that IL matters great deal. The
question Is one OF principle, aud principle the i'm
portance OF which cannot be exaggerated. The
Treaty OF Washington, 1t must DO borne In mind Is
not merely private compact between two states
for the arrangement OF differences which have
arisen between them. IL has much wider signtn.
cance It establishes novel tribunal Tor the settle.
ment OF international disputes, and IL introduces
new principles OF international law. In consenting
to abide by the decision OF court VI arbtrators
Great Britain and the United States set an example
which they hope Will be followed in future by states