Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-12-08

with the Ottoman Empire for eytradition, oil Of
which have been duly proclaimed.
TIE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
The Court of Commissioners Of Alabama
Claims has prosecuted its important duties
very assituonsly and very satisfactorily. 1t
convened and was organized on the twenty
second day of July, 1874, and by the terms
to exist for one year from that date. The act
provided, however. that should it be found I'm
practicable to complete the work Of the court be.
fore the expiration o! tho year. the president
might by proclamation es.'na Ut lts ,h tune s g,
mouths beyond the expiration OF the
one year. Having received satisfactory evidence
that it would he inpracticab'e 20 complete ,he
work within the time orig insIly fixed, lssued
proclamation Ga copy of which is presented here
WITH extending TIC time OF duration Of the count
for period of SIX months from and after the ZZu
of July last. A report made through the clerk OF
the court, communicated herewith, shows the
condition of the calendar the first OF November
last and the large amount of work which has been
ACCOMPLISHED Thirteen hundred and eghty-two
claims have been presented, of which oeZ had
been disposed of at the date OF the report. am
informed that 10 cases were decided during the
month of November. Arguments are being
made and decisions given in the remaining cases
with all the despatch consistent with the proper
consideration Of the questions subm tilted. Many
Of these claims are IN behalf OF mariners or oe
PC nd upon the evidence OF II liners, whose alb
sence has DELAYED the taking or the return Of the
neces. ary evidence. 1t is represented to me thar
il w i'll he imrraCticable to the court to finally DIS
pose of all the cases before within the present Linz
il Of It's DURATION Justice to the parties claimant,
! who have been at large expense III preparing
their claims and obtaining the evidence III their
support, suggests short extension TO enable the
court 10 dispose of all the claims which have been
presented. / recommend the legislation winch
! may be deemed proper to enable the count 10
| complete the work before It.
CLAIMS OF ALIENS.
/ | recommend that some suitable provision be
made by the creation Of special court, or by con-
fciring the necessary jurisdiction upon some ap-
propiiate tribunal for the consideration and deter
! minaton of the claims of aliens against the Gov
eminent of the United States. which have arisen
| within some reasonable limitation OF time. or
which may hereafter arise, excluding all claims
| barred BY treaty provisions otherwise. 1t has
been found impossible TO give proper consideration
! to those claims by the Executive Department OF
! the government. Such tribune would afford an
opportunity to aliens. ether than British subjects,
to present their claims on account Of acts com
mitted against their persons or property during
the rebellion as also to those subjects OF Great
| Britain whose claims having arisen subsequent to
the 9h day OF April, 1867 could be presented to the
late commission organized pursuant to the provi-
sons Of the treaty OF Washington.
The GOVERNMENT AND THE TELE GRAPH.
The electric telegraph has become an essential
and Indispensable agent in the transmission Of bus
mess and social messages. Its operation on
land and within the limit of particular States Is
nece ssarily under the control of the jurisdiction
within which it operates. The lines on the high
: seas, however, are not subject to the particular
control of any one Government.
In 1869 concession was granted by the French
government to a company which proposed 10 lay
cable from the shores of France to the United
States. AT that time there was telegrapaic
communication between the United States and the
continent OF Europe, through the possessions OF
Great Britain, at either end of the line under the
control Of an association which had at large out
lay of capital aud at great risk, demonstrated the
practicability of maintaining such means of com
munication. The cost OF correspondence by this
agency was great, possibly not too large at the
time for proper remuneration for SO hazardou:
and so costly an enterprise. 1t was, however,
heavy charge upon a means OF communication
which the pro in the soc isl and commercial In
tercouse of the world found to be NECESSITY, anc
the obtaining Of this French concession showet
that other capital than that already invested wa:
ready to enter into competition, with assurance o.
adequate return for their outlay. Impressed with
the conviction that the inteles;s not only of the
people of the United States, but of the world al
large demand,d or would demand the mutipl
ton of such means of communication between
separated continents. | DESTROYS that
the proposed connection should be made
but certain provisions of this concession were
deemed by me to be Objectionable, particu
larly one which gave for long term Of
wears exclusive light OF Geographic communica
ton By submarine cable, between the shores o.
France and the United States. l could not con-
cedc that any power should claim the right TO lane
a cable on the Shores of the United States, and a
the same tine deny the United States or to it
citizens OF grantees equal right to land a cable
, on its shores. The right TO control the conditions
for the laying of cable within the Jurisdictions
waters of the United States to connect our shores
with those of any foreign State, pertains exclu.
sively to the government of the United States
under such limitations and conditions as Congress
may impose. In the absence OF legislation by
Congress, | was unwilling on the one hand 10
yield to foreign State the right to say that its
grantees might land on shores, while it denied
similar hight to people TO land on its shores,
| and on the other hand was reluctant to deny the
great interests of the world and of civilization the
| facilities of such communication, were pro-
posed. | therefore withheld any resistance to land
ing OF any cable on condition that the offensive
monopoly feature Of the concession be abandoned,
| and that the hight of any cable which NAV be es-
tablished by authority Of this government to land
I upon French territory and to connect with French
land lines and every necessary facility or privi-
lege incident to the thereof, upon favorable
terms Il. any other be conceded. As the result
thereof the company IN question renowned the ex-
elusive privilege, and the representative of France
was informed that understanding this relinqush-
| procty and equal facilities which have been de-
manded, the opposition to the landing of the
cable was Withdrawn. The cable under this
French concession was landed in the month of
| July 1869, and has been an efficient and valuable
| agent of communication between this country
and other continents. 1t passed under the
| control, however, of those who had the manage
| ment OF the cable connecting Great Britain with
| this continent. Thus whatever benefit to the
| public might have ensued from the competition
between the two lines was lost, having the greater
facilities of an additional liue and the additional
| security in of accident to one of them, but
the Increased facilities and the additional security,
| together with the control Of the combined capital
Of the companies, gave also greater power to pre-
| vent the future construction of other lines and to
limit the control of Geographic communication be-
tween the two continents to those posse ssing lines
! already laid. Within few months past a cable
| has been laid known the United States Gable
| Company, connecting the United States directly
| with Great Britain, Rnd soon as this cable was
reported to be in working order the rates of the
then existing consolidated company were greatly
| reduced. soon, however, break was announced
| in th, new cable, and Immediately the rates of
| the other line, wi!ich had been reduced were
| again raised. Tie cable being now repaired, the
rates appear not 20 be reduced by either line from
those formerly charged by the consolidated COM
| il a he hat