New-York tribune., 1872-09-28
TIE TREATY or WASHINGTON

THE AWARD OF TUE TRAToRs-OPERATION
OF THE NEW RULEs-HOW THE RESULT IS
REGARDED BY TIE ENGLISH REPRESENTA-
TIYES
lFRoN AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT oP TIE TRIDUNEl
GENEVA, Sept. 13.-Thc substance of the
awards Of the Arbitraors is at last made known Great
Britain adjudged guilty of negligence in permitting
the construction and escape Of the Florida the Alabama
and the Shenandoah and is condemned pay the sum
of $155OO0OO AS the award made in dollars. these
figures strictly exact. They represent little
the actual losses from the three pryateers since
allowance for interest is included This being under
stood 1t only remains to say that the reached
by a careful examination Of the figures presented in de-
tail by the Governments, and that it is nearly equal
the claims Of the American agents. In general state
OF losses the three cruisers in question stood
for about slGOOOOO, the Sumter and Georgia bringing
the total up nearly to S2OOOOOoO The British mathena
cians figured the damages down 10 about <GOOOOOO 1t
viii be seen therefore that far the depre
datons of the three vessels, receive nearly all
have demanded.
In respect to the condemnatons ALSO the expectations
of the American counsel realized. Ii is clear Of
course, TO people that part Of general line Of
misconduct the escape Of the Sumter and tie Georgia.
and their subsequent careers afforded just basis for
pecuniaTy damages but IL is not easy to convince
neutral court. We had moral right to more; from
legal point of the judgment is satisfactory The
pangs Of disappointment in the cases which failed will
be essened for him who reflects that viii be judged
in the future by the rules which prevail today. The
severer judgment against England the greater the
burdens neutrality hereafter and this is no trivial
consideration. The three rules invaluable ally
The Tribunal does not directly pronounce the ques
ton whether not they exceed the principles OF inter
national law as generally understood in 1863 1nasmuch
as they accepted by both nations. In the
Treaty. Great Britain expressly contends that they
are innovations. 1t is difficult TO the
object Of this disclaimer, sincen the article she
agrees TO be judged by them. But the position Of the
United States is more logical. They insisted on the
determination Of the rules, post Jaeo trap
for ensnarng the adversary, but for the sake Of pre-
eison. There was profound sagaciy In this course.
Endless disputes over different views OF the law in the
before the judges. Tie Shenandoah was condemned on
account Of her performances at Melbourne. This un
deTstaDd TO be stated IN the decisions at least II is
TO the American representatives. The circum-
OF her escape aggravatng and the
proceedings Melbourne could leave doubt in
the minds OF honorable men, In the history OF the whole
shows a deliberate outrage than that which
records the acts OF Her Maiestys officials at Melbourne.
Doubtless the ry retirement OF the Shenandoah from
the fscnatons Of piracy did not soften the hearts Of
am told that the verdict Ia painful surprise to the
English gentlemen here engaged Their failure affects
them in the double capacity OF attorneys and taxpayers
Down 10 a very late day they confident that the
Alabama alone would DC pronounced guilty, and That
they would hOnOrably ADJUST long quarrel by patry
million sterling. The appearance of the American
case" shook their confidence somewhat. Few English.
men, in official circles, had looked for such AN ar
gninent OF their Government Next came the argu
ment OF the American counsel which left nothing
which the opposition could stand For some time, there
fore, the British agents have been fighting at disdd
vantage yet their confidence did not desert them till the
last moment. Even when they knew that the three
lar faulty IN believing that the Tribunal would accept
their estimate OF the indirect damages The dli-
ference between their figures, 6,OOOOO' and those
actually awarded, sl66O00Oo shows the gravity OF the
defeat.