Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-02-09
ooNrEnERArR pRrYATEERs.


Since the upheaying Of the "Alabam
claims and the meeting Of the .Geney
conference, the wonderful success OF tn
Confederate priyateers. in destroying tn
enemy's commerce has come to light
showing in the clearest manner the ma
terial aid given by the epterprising sea
men Of the South to the Confederate
cause. Since the controversy between
eAmerica and England has arisen, thu
North takes pride in pointing out an'
insisting upon every capture and 1T
value. The American claims at thu
eGeueva conference were based mainly
upon the success Of the privateers Ala
hama, Shenandoah, Florida Georgia ant
Sumter. The list OF vessels captured
and destroyed on the high seas by the
cruisers named, foots up in the aggregate
to one hundred and eighty vessels, Of
almost every rig-steamers, ships, barksr
briggs and schooners. The Alabama,
Admiral Semmes' flag ship, is credited
with sixty.nine vessels, value Sc, 547 6O9;
the Shenandoah, thirty-eight vessels,
value Sc, 4Ss, 1870; the Florida, thirty-six
vessels, value SO, $685. 600; the Sumter,
twenty-seyen vessels, value $lO,695; the
George, ten vessels, value 1888. 97G.
Total, Sl7,l29,2O9. The bill presented
by the United States, placing everything
DESTROYED at double its value, foots up
the alarming sum of $27 900, 900, which
England is invited to pay or fight =
the higwayman's motto. Should war
occur it will be sea fight unfortunate
Canada excepted. Upon its own show
ing the United States government re-
CARDS the ex-Confederate naval captains
as the most successful privateersmen in
the worlds history. Why not give them
the contract to destroy the British ma
rine and drive British commerce into
foreign bottoms? In order that the
Southern people may understand the
game of plumber, we append the modest
claim made by the immaculate President
and his friends.
According the provisions of the Wash
ington treaty, which reads that in
order to remove and adjust all COM
plants and claims on the part of the
United States and to provide for the set
Element of such claims, indirect losses,
as we'll as those about which there can
scarcely be any dispute, will be consid-
cred at the Geneva conference. The
following estimate from the World will
give an idea of the character and amount
of the claims made in behalf of the
United States:
L. For the destruction Of vessels
and property belonging 10 the gov
eminent of the United States .........S 2o,OOO
H. For the destruction Of mer-
chant vessels, cargoes and property
states .. .' . =. w 17.sO 6Ss
Ill. For other damages or injuries
TO persons, growing out Of the de-
struction Of each class Of these yes
sels
In respect to this item the case"
says il is impossible at present for
the United States to present a de-
tailed statement. butthe amount Of
the claim cannot be less than hun
dreds of thousands and possibly
millions of dollars, on account Of
hardy. helpless seamen. and their
". For national expenditures in
the pursuit Of the cruisers. IUoO4is
V. For loss in the transfer Of the
American commercial marine TO the
In res peett TO this item the United ava.
States and the arbitrators 10 esti-
mate the amount which ought to be
paid to them, after We submit sta
tistics in respect TO our tonnage be-
fore and after the rebellion.
VI. For enhanced payments OF
insurance by citizens of the United
States, so far as now known.........-. 1,lD.l9
VII. For prolongation Of a civil war, the
addition of large sum to the cost thereof
and Of the suppression Of the rebellion.
AS to this item the United States claim that
after the battle Of Gettysburg offensive oper-
atoms by the insurgents were conducted only
at sea, through the Anglo Confederate cruis-
ers, with the hope OF involving this country
in awar with Great Britain, and that the lat.
ter ought in equity to reimburse the United
States for the expense thereby entailed upon
VIII. Interest upon all the claims up to the
of the treaty, which is twelve months after
the date Of the award. at the usual rate Of in
terest in the city Of New York. where most Of
the claims of individuals are held. which is
seven per cent per annum. The United States
claim that interest should be computed from
an average day, say July 1893.
According to the foregoing statement,
so far as it goes, the figures reach the
SUN of S26,lS6,s 1876. II will be observ-
ed, however, in the reading Of the ex'
hibit that the amounts FOR damages OF
injuries to persons growing out Of the
destruction Of vessels by rebel cruisers
the less Of the transfer Of the American
commercial marine TO the British flag,
the prolongation Of the war, due to the
continued offensive operations Of the
rebel priyateers after the battle of Get
tysburg, ndinterest upon all the claims
up 20 the day when the award is paya-
Bile, according 70 the terms Of the Wash
ington treaty, are not enumerated in
this schedule. The amount Of these
claims viii vastly increase the Ameri-
can demand.
Ixrefasing to admit to bail the par.
ties indicted in Utah, Judge MeKear
maintains that the United States an
thorifies have jurisdiction Of erimel
commiiied against the laws Of the ter
ritoryl The decision entirely accord
with The theory Of absolute dominion il
the Washington government over tb'
inhabitants Of the territories held BY th'
prsseul Yaskisgton administration, an'
recently elaboraied in veto message B.