The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1872-02-29
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
Their Nature and AmOunt-The
Geneva ArbitratOrs-The
Facts of the Case,

with England, arising out of the ref
erence of the "Alabama Claims" to
the Geneva Arbitrators, we copy
from Harper's Weekly the following
interesting statement of facts con-
nected with the case:
I The tribunal consists of the fol-
lowing gentlemen The Hon. Chas.
Francis Adams, named by President
Grant; Sir Alexander Cockburn,
named by Queen Victoria; Herr
Stampfi, named by the President of
the Swiss Confederation; Count
Sclopis de Salermo, named by Vic
tor Emanuel and Baron D'Itaiuba,
Brazilian envoy in Paris, named by
the Emperor of Brazil. On the
British side Lord Tenderden acts as
secretary and general agent. For
the United States Mr.. J. C. Bancroft
Davis hold the same position, and
takes charge of all claims advanced
by American citizens against Great
Britain. 1t is a part of his duty to
arrange all details of business with
Lord Tenderden. The latter has no
claims to receive, but he has TO IN
dertake the arrangement Of the
British case-the classification of
documents and the like. The Hon.
W. NJ. Evarts, the Hon. Caleb Cush-
ing and Mr.. Morrison R. Waite have
been retained as counsel for the u.
States.
The case Of the United States, as
presented to the Tribunal of Arbi
tration, fills a printed volume of
nearly five hundred pages. It was
prepared by Mr.. Bancroft Davis,
with the assistance of M. G. C. Bea-
man and Hon. Caleb Cushing. This
elaborate argument is arranged in
six divisions. The first is the brief
"Introduction," wherein is recount
ed the circumstances of meeting OF
the Joint High Commission, with a
summary of the protocols of pro-
ceedings, ending with the treaty Of
Washington in ertensO, as the grand
result of a negotiation which had
extended through eight years of
time, and the whole of one and
parts of two administrations. Part
II. is devoted to a review of "the
unfriendly course pursued by Great
Britain toward the United States
from the outbreak to the close of in
surrection." Part III. to "the du-
ties which Great Britain, as a neu-
tral, should have observed toward
the United States" Part ". to
wherein Great Britain failed to
perform its duty as a neutral" Part
V. TO "wherein Great Britain failed
to perform its duties as q neutral in
respect to the insurgent cruisers"
Part VI. to enforcing the demand
that "the tribunal should award (for
damages) q sum in gross to the U.
States"
The claims of the United States,
as stated by the American members
of the Joint High Commission, may
be classified as follows:
l. The claim for direct losses
growing out of the destruction of
vessels and their cargoes by the in
surgent cruisers.
2. The national expenditures in
pursuit of those cruisers.
3. The loss in the transfer of the
American commercial marine to the
British flag.
4. The enhanced payment of in
suranee.
8. The prolongation of the war
and the addition of a large sum to
the cost of the war and the suppress
sion of the rebellion.
So far as these various losses and
expenditures grew out of the acts
committed by the several cruisers,
the United States are entitled to ask
compensation and remuneration
therefor before this tribunal.
On all these points evidence is
| presented which will enable the tri-
bunal to ascertain and determine
the amount of the several losses and
injuries complained of. To the
amount thus shown should be add
ed interest upon the claims to the
day when the award is payable by
the terms of the treaty, namely,
twelve months after the date of the
award. The usual legal rate of in
terest in the city of New York,
where most of the claims of indi7id-
uaIs are held, is seven per cent. pei
annum. In some of the States it is
greater; in few of them less. The
! United States makes a claim for in.
terest at that rate. The computa-
ton of the interest should be made
from an average day to be deter
mined. The United States suggests
the first day of July, 1863, as the
most equitable day.
The claim of the United States
Government for destruction of mer.
chant vessels, by the rebel priva'
teers is $18, ,25O,OO4. For other ex-
penses entailed on the Government
by reason of pursuit, ETC., of the
same, the claim is made for $780,,
AIS. The losses which would come
under the head of "indirect" would
include damages to persons from
loss of the vessels to which they be-
Ionged loss in transferring Ameri.
non ShiDs 70 tho Rritisb Aor.tbo;