Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-14
The American Case and the British
Panic.


The cease" of the United States, or the state
mcnt prepared on behalf of our government for
submission to the Geneva conference, has now
been published in full iu,a New York paper. A
careful perusal Of it gives an opportunity to
Judge what excuse the English people have for
the spasm OF rage and terror, whose symptoms
are just beginning to relax little. They be-
eye, or profess to believe, that the United States
-mands, in the way of indirect or consequential
damages, not only compensation for the diminu-
ton OF our commerce through apprehension of
the ravageS of the Alabama and her like but,
also, pretty much the whole cost of the last two
years Of the war, because it was prolonged TO
that extent by the encouragement and aid afford
ed by British sympathy and connivance with
the rebel. efforts TO create and maintain a naval
force. This claim seemed to them so preposter-
ously extravagant that the bare contemplation
oil it was suffici 1T 10 throw them into a panic
Extracts fIom the American case, intending
those passages which seem to sustain these views
of our demands, have been printed in PAM
phiet and industriously circulated in England,
with the intent of iufAming the popular dissat-
isfaction with the treaty.
If their view of our demands were correct.
their alarm and anger would be more excnsa-
bic. But in fact only hasty and superficial
reading OF the case, or determination 10 mis-
understand it, could have given rise TO the in-
depreciation which the English journals put
upon it. Ii is not true that the United States
asks the tribunal to award to us payment for
our commercii marine transferred to British or
9ther foreign owners in consequence of the acts
Of the rebel cruisers, and for the full cost of the
war forl the most of the last TIVE years, during
which the hopes of the rebels were sustained by
their successes, such as they were, at sea- The
case does say:
Thus The tribunal will see that, after the
battle of Gettysburg, the ofensige operations Of
the insurgents 1cere conducted 0nlu at sea
through the cruisers; AMI observing that the
war was prolonged for that purpose, will be able
10 determine whether Great Britain ought not,
IN equity, To reimburse TO the United States Me
expenses thereby entaiied upon them"
Bat this is not, as the English papers repre-
sent, a demand for reimbursement of the
whole cost Of the war after the battle of Gettvs-
burg, but suggestion that certain expenses, in
definitely referred to in the closing words of the
extract, ought in equity to be allowed. When
the liability for direct damages is asserted in the
Cease" widely different language is used. Tie
different elements Of the claim are particularly
enumerated, and reference is distinctly made to
the accompanying evidence by which the
amount of damage can be estimated.
Nowhere else III the case is the claim, if claim
it should be called, for consequential damages
under this head, even so strongly put as in the
above extract. In the argument for the allow
q "A gfsf,g en-.
is made:
Inc claims as stated by the American COM
mssl0ners may be classified as follows;
l. The claims for direct losses growing ont Of |
me obstruction OF vessels and their cafgoes by |
the insurgent cruisers.
z. The national expenditures in the pursuit
of these cruisers.
g. The loss 10 The transfer Of The american
commercial marine 10 the British hap
The enhanced payments of insurance.
D. me pr0tongdtiOn Of the lgar and the addi-
ton OF large sum TO tue cost of the war and
the suppression Of the rebellion
50 far as these various losses and expendi-
tuies gfe'c out Of The acts committed by the sen
erdt cruisers the United States are entitled 10
ask compensation and remuneration therefor be-
fore this tribunal" (p. 469)
The demands classed under the FIRST, second
and fourth heads arc subsequently elaborated
and pressed in detail with much force of arru.
ment and vehemence Of assertions careful state
meuts are made, estimates offered and evidence
piodu cd by which the amount Of loss under
each head may be ascertained, and formal and
specific demand follows the statement Of each
separate claim. But the method with the losses
classod under the third and fifth heads is en-
urely different. No specific demand is made
no evidence produced, no. estimate offered
ihere rs nothing but few words vaguely re.
el'lhg 70 each, as II supplied merely 10 com.
pe~ me case, and then that the original class
Hicauon was still Kept in mind. Like the allie
ganon and proof Of the unlriendliness of the
BRUSH government and British statesmen of in
haence, these allegations Of damage seem ~
have been inserted Tor the purpose Of ge,,in,,
the whole subject before the tribunal, in orde,
to Increase the impression made By the snecso
injuries for which compensation was expec,od
and 70 counteract any possible tendency of ,be
afbltaios 10 favor a compromise or make a low
estimate by showing that beyond The direct loss
and damage, for which we insist upon comper.
auou IheTe lies vast aud real, though Jude.