The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-06
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
The Judgment Of EurOpe-Extracts from
the Continental Press.
From the American Register. Feb. III

From the American Register, Feb III
The Continental press, with an unexa.npled unan-
Unity sustains the American government IN les
claim to bring before the Geneva Tribunal the dis
pute 10 the construction of the Treaty OF Wash
ington. This is more worthy OF n0uce because the
London newspapers In their references to the Con-
tlnensa press have represented Its Judgment TO be
the ether way. II does not do TO trust England
even In quotation.
Our readers win doubtless themselves separate
this question from the further question OF the prob
able result OF the submission OF those claims, In
case the Tribunal should take jurisdiction OF them.
We produce only . few OF the many similar state
ments that we find from every quarter OF Europe,
except the Insular Kingdom:-
The Memorial DipiOnaGttQue says that "neither
in the course OF the debates on the JOINT high COM
mission, which sat for two months. nor III any OF
the clauses OF the treaty intended TO define the
mode of the proceedings and the functions or the
Tribunal OF ArDtration as well as te principles 70
guide TIN Its decision, has England raised the least
objection against any OF the clauses oil rccamatons
presented by the United states. she has rejected
all IN the same way, without making any distlnc-
ton, and has declared herself ready to refer the
decision OF u tribunal"
The Gazette de France comments as fOllows:-
"The fact as That the presensons OF America were
perfectly well Known Mr.. Gladstone, with his
% h an , VI nc upor nc SN tS
future might entangle him."
The MOnlteur writes thus on the subject:-"We
truth, that there 10 no inconvenience in submitting
the American claims for lndlrecC damages to the
that they are exaggerated In the American case;
but their introduction into the pleadings Is not
contrary to the text Of the Convention Of Washing
ton"
The Sotr has the following comments:-"lt Is not,
we hasten to say that the calculations Of the Ameri
can authorities are not marked with Certa1n
exaggeratiOn; but the essential point to discover
whether the ARRANGEMENTS preparatory to the as
sembling OF the TRIBUNAL OF Arbitration at Geneva
exclude the question or the indirect damages. We
think they do not exclude them"
The journal de Paris expresses the opinion that
1.-THE text Of the treaty is formal and the protocols
leave still doubt than the treaty to tine
standing OF the claims and the principle by the
United States The Tribunal VIII deude what claims
are presentaDle and what are the questions to be
discussed. The American government demands
neither more nor less it has stated its claims be-
fore the Court and awaits the decision. England
had better do the same. Her irritation that OF
partiality of the Court.n
The Liberts says-It Is evident that the actual
nature OF the preiensiOns CT the United States as
the refusal OF England submit to the arbitratOrs
OF the Treaty OF Washington seem to require"
The Journal des Dedats declares tnat ut Is our
there are wrongs on both SIDES. me government
OF the United States attempts to Introduce into
OF making the costs OF war obligatory upon the
Powers which are not responsible Tor 1t ana which
are even the first victims OF 1t In their interests. We
understand very well that IL IS not necessary to
take In earnest the pecuniary claims presented by
the Americans Tor the prOlOngalon OF the war. for
the increased rates OF insurance and other pretexts
equally elastic and equally Impossible calculator
claims which exceed the amount we owe 10 VIC.
tOrious foe. The Americans understand perfectly
the value of these claims and have not slightest
idea OF pressing them. But, the same time, they
insist, and with snow OF reason upon their right
to interpret tie treaty, and 1t must be acKnOw-
lodged that tne English government has entered
upon this affair with degree OF tmprudence and
duce change OF Ministry"
the Consttutonnel asks:-"Does this treaty
tribunal at Geneva the claim for indemnity for in
direct losses! The Americans say yes; the English
the treaty does not exclude the American inerpre
tatlOn and therefore, they are OF the opinion that
the difference ought 10 be brought before the
ton on all the American demands implies doubt
either IN the justice OF ner cause, Or in the impair
The Independence Beige maintains that sthe
wises course 10 adopt Is to abide by the decision Of
the Geneva Arbitration 1t Is dlsinterested in the
matter, and It can thus re-establlsh harmony and
peace between the parties better than the parties
inc Augemene Zeitung declares that "the stipu-
latOns OF the treaty leave no one to doubt that the
to present such claims although nothing was sad
about the amount OF the claims, the decision In
that respect being left to the Tribunal OF Arbitra
tOn."
The Basler Nachricnten declares that ut this tyi.
0unGt Is incompetent 10 decide tci:hOt the adutce
are pyepOsterOatS ana absurd Hten its appointment
sods mistake. It Is, however, not 10 be supposed
tnat Sucn One-Sucu ana ul-tluleu arguments would
exert any influence upon It,"
And again 1t says that "Ae general opinion that
the American demands aCere ABSURD has changed
and people are commencing TO see that they are
justified In the treaty, and the storm Is now turning
against the British COmmiSSlOnerS.p
The Be77ser HelU6tie asserts that the treaty just
1es IN tOrmal manner the tribunal ut Geneva, in
which, as we know, switzerland Is represented by
NJ Stampnl, IN considering all The claims, OF aUhdt
euer KIND, grOring out or the acts or the cruisers
The question is only to know TO what point the
tribunal will admit these claims. and If England
Will abide by Its decision.
The Vienna Neue Freie Press says that the British
Cabinet, led by national pride and governed by
popular opinion, have changed their entire opinion
oil the question, and put matters Ill such q light
that all that remains for the tribunal to do Is re-
turn home The Washington Treaty expressly
states in regard to the tribunal that they settle all
Englands acts thus we do not see.. PROBABLY she
thinks the tribunal IS ABOUT TO 0tUe Judgment
against her.
The Deutsch Anaericanischer Gcononaist alleges
that "England knew that these demands were made
not only Tor the acts OF vessels bur also Tor indirect
loss. one treaty. as she kneoc, hdd been rejected
because had no prODjsfOn as 10 THIS II the JOINT
Commissioners had meant to exclude these claims
they might nave used language clearly stating 1t;
Cltlde thenl.n
The Neue Bddische Lands Zeit,tng maintains that
"the general European tone Is one OF warning to
England not to break the treaty. What II America
has let the affair sumber until Russia declared it.
self ready Cannot the people on the Thames see
how strong the bonds between America and Russia
must be when the insult to the Russian Minister not
these ties II TINS Ia behind the Alabama question
the government al the Foreign ONCE must Destir