Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-19
THE GENEVA COMMISSION.
A Synopsis Of the Points Presented By
the Agent on the Part OF Great
Britain.

Il LONDON, April lS.-The following l. a
synopsis of the counter case presented
at Geneva by the agent on the part Of
Great Britain: Part first begins by an
nouncing that TO the American imputa-
tions of hostile motives and insincere
neutrality no reply whatever will be Of
fered, and that England distinctly re-
fuses to enter into discussion of these.
because il would be inconsistent with
her self-respeet, prevalent To the main
/ issue and would tend TO influence CON
I troveFsy. England's governing desire
! is to fulfill and even exceed her interna-
/ tiOnal duties. Nor will any reference be
paid to claims for indirect damages. as
| correspondence with regard to them
which is now pending between England
/ and the United States, and assumes
| that the claims are limited to losses oe-
casioned by the Florida, Alabama, Geor-
/ gia and Shenandoah, but does not OBJ
| ject to the introduction of names of
other rebel cruisers which have been
added to the list by the American case.
She calls attention to the fact that none
of these vessels had previously been
mentioned. No awards are possible for
the depredatlOns of the Boston and
Sallie, which are on the list but are not
mentioned elsewhere in the case of the
United States, and were probably mad
vertent. The Board of Arbitration is
reminded that its conclusions must be !
formed on proofs, not allegations. and
the evidence must be sifted. The state |
ments of American Consuls are credita- |
BILE, where made with regard to facts
within their personal knowledge, but
they are unreliable when dealing with |
rumors. The Consuls of the American /
Government, Jealous 10 indiscretion, /
shared the irritability generated by the |
war, and erroneous views throughout the /
struggle eolOred their reports. England 1
rejects as evidence papers captured IN
Richmond, their authors beingunknown
Part two deals with the American
argument. 1t disputes the proposition
that neutral power is bound, at the re-
fisal of a belligerent, to enforce its mu-
nicipal laws, and if they are insufficient,
it admits that reparation due for an an
preciable injury resulting from a clear
violation of International duty; but il is
unable to attach a distinct meaning to
some Of the twelve propositions of the
American case, and demurs to the ex-
ceptionally rigorous application of these
propositions to England. 1t urges that 4
at the time of the Confederate war the
mere sale and delivery of a vessel
adapted for war 10 a belligerent was not
a violation of neutrality; ney1rtheless,
on this point, it accepts the rules of the R
Treaty Of Washington, not with the
construction put upon it bv I
the government Of the United States,
but according TO their obvious purport. I
1t regrets that the United States I
should see fit to strain the Interpretation ,
of these rules TO the uttermOst, without
them in fair and reasonable
sense. 1t argues that England was
bound to receive the Alabama as she
would vessel of war of any sovereign
State, and concludes by quoting from \
OrtOlan, the eminent French authority
on International law, to show that the
principles for which the United States
contend, were never heretofore securely
asserted or recognized in Europe, or as
serted. Part three treats of the preee-
dents adduced in admiralty cases, and
replies thereto, with other such
as the fillibustering attacks of Lopez on G
Cuba and Walker on Mexico and Cen {
trail America, and the Fenian raids on
Canada. History on this subject is the {
history of unlawful enterprises, origin S
ating IN America and with American Z
citizens. American privateers have. L
and, Spain, Portugal Mexico, Cen /
-ral America, Cuba and Canada. O
Part four considers the various COM
plants made of tariff on munitions of O
war with the South; blockade running v
oy British ships etc. Part five gives the +
history of the cruisers Sumter and Nash
vile; complains of being required to
meet the demands, in regard to which
% settle the difficulty is to treat them
As serious. Part six gives an account of T
he Florida and Alabama with details
If their escape; it seeks to show that
he time which elapsed between Mr..
Adams application and the Ala
Jama's departure was too short to Justify r,
he charge of negligence, and claims a
hat in this respect England can not be o.
,harged with any failure of duty. Part \
even is devoted to the history of the 7
and Georgia. Part eight B
elates 10 other vessels, and repudiates d
he responsibility of Great Britain for h
heir depredations. Part nine treats of b
he reception of the rebel commissioners fT
n British ports, and seeks to defend the ri
conduct Of Great Britain by comparing b;
with that of other nations. Part ten,
.fter recapltulating the facts and argu- 81
nent5 of the previous parts, declares cl
A4C NAdlA4A AOA lltCIGSl Oll Lltt uuiIlaEeS u
warded from the first Of July, 1863, un- G
enable. The losses which the aFbitra- s.
ors may take into account are at the N
tmost direct, or arising from the des- di
ructiOn Of ships and property. After l.
eseribing the situation of anxiety and b.
ia which neutrals would be l.
laced in time of war should the doc th
rines presentedin in the American case as A
0 their duties prevail in the counter case,
with an expression of the
ope that a frank, open statement of
acts will etfectually remove every mis-
between nations allied by (
lnumerable ties. The Times describes SSsll
be British counter case as conceived in
grave and statesman=like spirit, while
he American case reads like an advo-
ate1s speech TO jury Ia a trial for as DI, Dn
ault and battery. England's reply f6'
J ike the uttsIaRee Of q Judge.
he Telegraph says the Amer
cans, on studying with impartiality m,
ur counter case viii and a reason to Soc
,aF not only for their indirect claims,
at for something more Importance. An
lstanee Of over statements and incop- ,,SS
stencies is brought against them, until S2S
le great fabric OF the laborious inge- l2s
uity trembles to its foundation,