Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-02-19
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
WHAT THE BRITISH LION IS. GROWING AT.

but little in this country, and few of our
people know exactly what it is the Eng
fish are SO angry over. We quote, there
fore, from the sixth chapter of the book,
the substance Of our demand for conse-
quential damages, which annoys the
English so much:
''In the opening conference of the
joint high commission relating to the Al
ALBANIA claims, the American commission
ers stated the nature of the demands of
the United States. They said that there
were extensive direct losses in the cap
ture and destruction of large number
of vessels, with their cargoes, and in the
heavy national expenditures in the pur-
suit of the cruisers; and indirect injury
in the transfer of a large part Of the
American commercial marine to the
British flag; in the enhanced payments
of insurance, in the prolongation of the
war and the suppression Of the rebellion
They further said that the amount of
the direct losses to individuals which
had thus far been presented, amounted
to about $14,OO0,000 without interest
which amount was liable to be greatly
increased by claims which had not yet
been presented and that the direct loss
to the government in the pursuit of
cruisers could easily be ascertained by
certificates of government accounting Of
fcers." They added that in the hope
of amicable settlement, no estimate was
made of the indirect losses, without
prejudice, however to the right Of in
Identification on their account in event
of no such settlement being made. The
British commissioners declined to make
the 'amicable settlement which was pro-
posed on the part of the United States.
The joint high commission then entered
into negotiations which resulted in an
agreement in order to remove and adj
Just all complaints and claims on the
part of the United States, and TO pro-
vide for the speedy settlement of such
claims, that all the claims growing out
of the acts committed by the several YES
sells which had given rise to the claims
generally known as the Alabama claims,
should be referred to this tribunal of ar
bitration. It was further agreed that
this tribunal, should find that if Great
Britain had, by any act OF commission,
failed to fulfill any of the duties set
forth in the sixth article of the treaty,
or recognized by principles of interna-
tional law not inconsistent with such
rules, might then proceed to award a
sum in gross to be paid by Great Brit
ain to the United States for all the
claims referred to it. The claims, as
stated by the American commissioners,
may be classified as follows:
l. The claims for direct losses grow
ing out of the destruction of vessels and
their cargoes by the insurgent cruisers.
2. The national expenditures in the
pursuit of those cruisers.
3. The loss In the transfer of the
American commercial marine to the Brit
ISL flag.
4. The enhanced payment of insur-
ance.
5. The prolongation of the war and
the addition of a large sum to the cost
of the war and the suppression of the re-
bellion.
So far as these various losses and ex.
penditures grew out Of the acts commit
ted by the several cruisers, the United
States are entitled to ask compensation
and remuneration therefore before this
| tribunal.
The claims for direct losses growing
out of the destruction of vessels and
their cargoes may be further subdivided
into: First-Claims for destruction OF
vessels and property of the government
of the United States. Second-Claims
for the destruction of vessels and proper,
ty under the flag of the United States
| Third Claims for damages or injuries
to persons growing out of the destruc
ton of each class of vessels.
The United States asks the tribuna,
of arbitration to estimate the amount
which ought to be paid to them for the
transfer of the American commercial ma
rine to the British flag in consequence o
the acts of the rebel cruisers. 1t is i'm
possible for the United States to deter
mine, it is perhaps impossible for any
one to estimate with accuracy, the vas
injury which these cruisers caused il
proIonging the war
The 4th of July, 1868, saw the ag
gressive force on land of the insured
ton crushed. From that day its onl,
hope lay in prolonging defiance until
by the continuance of the permitted vi
olations of British neutrality by the in
surgents the United States should be
come involved in a war with Great Brit
ain. The insurgents had at that tim
good reason to look for that result. Tn
Florida, the Alabama and the Georgi
had left British ports for the purpose 0
carrying on war against the Unite,
States, and were, nevertheless receives
with unusual honors in all the colonia
ports of Great Britain. Only ten day
before the great battle of Gettysburg
the judge who presided at the trial Q
the Alexandria had instructed the jur
that no law or duty of Great Britain ha
been violated in the construction an
dispatch of the Alabama. About thre
months before that time her majesty
government had decided that they woul
not recommend Parliament to enact
more effective law for the preservatio
of neutrality. Laird was constructor
the rams in Liverpool under the existin
Interpretation of the law, and the Brit
ish government was refusing to interior
with them The chancellor of the e1
chequer, five days before the battle {
Gettysburgh had declared in the Hous
of Commons, speaking not individual
but in the plural:-'We do not beliey
that the restoration of the America
Union by force is attainable.' Unde
these circumstances the insurgents mad
great exertions to keep the Florida, til
Alabama and the Georgia afoat, and
stimulate their officers and crews to r,