Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-27
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Translated from the Memorial Diplomatique #
the Washington Daily Chronicle.l


the Washington Daily Chronicle.l
The position taken by the United States as
regards the objections raised by the Gladstone
cabinet in the matter of indirect claims, has
received it may be said, the high sanction of
the tribunal of arbitration. As soon as these
unexpected objections were advanced, Mr.. Fish
declared that the question was one for the tri-
bunal to decide; that it alone had the power to
determine the validity of said objections, and
that the parties were bound by treaty which
could only be modified by another treaty. Lord
Granville yielded implicitly to these considera-
tons, proposing an additional article, to be
adopted in the same form as the treaty of Wash
ingtou, and having for its object a solution of
the pending difficulty. This mode of procedure
had the advantage, for England, of bringing
the indirect claims, which she had already ac-
cepted, up for discussion again; but it might
have given rise to serious complications, and
would have called for negotiations of no easy
character; for the Washington cabinet was not
in humor to renounce, without any compensa-
ton, the right which the treaty gave 1t to obtain
a formal decision from the arbitrator touching
all claims which might be presented by the
United States
The tribunal has settled the dispute in such a
manner as virtually to decide in favor of the in
depreciation of the American secretary of state.
1t has, by setting the indirect claims aside, de-
cidcd that they were within the sphere of its
jurisdiction. "Now and hereafter" says the
text of HE deeiaieH H+hese claims shall be eX-
cuded from the deliberations of the tribunal"
The British cabinet, on receiving unofficial infor-
nation of the nature of this decision, assented
TO it in advance thus openly showing at the
last moment, that it had only disputed the uris-
diction OF the arbitrator because it feared a
decision uniayorable TO itself. When the Joint
high commission commenced its labors at Wash
ington the only real and serious difficulty which
it had to settle was that which related to the
national or indirect claims; on all other points
the two Governments were VirtunliV oOrppd ~
that alone there was doubt to be cleared up q
solution to be sought, and the English commits
sioners knew perfectly well what was the sou-
ton desired by the Americans. At the fourth
conference of the commission the American
commissioners presented their claims; they said
that the damage suffered by the United States
from these acts Of the priyateers of which the
Alabama was the representative was of two
kinds; FIRST, direct or immediate damage result.
ing from acts of the privateers, such as the cap
ture or destruction Of vessels and the expenses
incurred in pursuing these prvateers, second
damage resulting from the transfer of large
portion of the American merchant marine 10
the British flag, from increased losses of under.
writers, from the proongation of the war
and increased expenses arising therefrom.
The American commissioners next fixed the
sum, then known, Of the losses suffered in con-
sequence of the destruction Of property; pointed
out a method of determining that of the ex-
penses incurred in pursuing the privateers, and
added that they had made no estimate of dam
ages of the latter class, because they CHOPPED to
reach an amicable settlement" but that they
reserved their action Gin case a settlement Of
that kind could not be reached" They pro-
posed, finally, in order to realize this amicable
arrangement, to fix Immediately gross
amount to be paid by Great Britain 10 the
United States, which payment was TO put an
end to call claims" of the latter. The English
commissioners declined this proposition in toto
Not only did they raise no special objection TO
any Of the claims of the United States, but they
formally declared "that they would make no
reply in detaiP' TO these claims, and renewed
the proposition TO submit the question to arb
tration. The American commissioners ex.
pressed their regret at seeing their proposition
rejected, and acceded to that Of the
other party. From this statement of
the facts, which has been carefully
taken from official documents, does it
appear that the Uuited States have renowned
their indirect claims, and that the treaty Of
Washington Is the price of the natural conse-
quence Of this concession7 That is the point
made by the London cabinet. The Americans,
II says, have formally declared that they would