New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-29
SPANISH CLAIMANTS.

will be called
SPANISH CLAIMANTS.
SENIOR MASTILLA URGING THE PAYMENT OF
MILLION OR so TO PEOPLE IN FLORIDA WHO
SUFFERED LOSSES sIXTY-TGvE YEARS AGO.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRBUNE.I
WASHINGTON. July 2S.-By the terms of the
Treaty of 1919 between the United States and
Spain, the latter Government agreed TO cede to the
United States the domain it possessed east of the
Mississippi River, embracing what was then known
the Territories of East and West Florida,
condition that the United States would relinqush
all right and title to the lands west of the above
mentioned river, embracing principally the Spanish
domains once included between the Red and the
Sabine River This treaty was consummated by
John Quincy Adams and Don Louis Gonzales as
penipotentares for America and Spain.
Article OF this treaty provides that " The United
States will cause satisfaction to be made for the in
iuries, If any, which by process of law shall have
been established to have been suffered by the Span
ISL officers aud individual Spanish inhabitants
by the occupations Of The American Army In
Florida The operations alluded TO occurred
during the years 1s12Jl3 durngthe progress of the
war; In 1923 Congress authorized the Superior
Courts at St. Augustine and Pensacola TO adiudicate
all claims arising under this provision. within their
respective Jurisdictions aud report those found to
be valid and just to the Secretary of
the Treasury for payment. Claims amount
ing with interest, TO more than a million
dollars have been thus passed upon favOrably by
the Courts and sent TO the Treasury for payment;
but under the rulings of several of the earlier Sec
retaries of the Treasury the payment of interest by
the Government was held to be Illegal. aud this
ground alone the Treasury has up to the present
time refused TO pay the amounts demanded by the
claimants.
This matter has been a subject of much discussion
in past years between the Treasury and State De-
partmcnts, and of memorials from the repre-
sontatiyes Of the Spanish Government. Senior
Mantlla has recently presented another me-
mortal on the subject 20 the State Department.
He maintains with much apparent force that it has
been tho invariable custom of this Government, in
all similar transactions with other GOVERNMENTS, to
demand the payment of interest, and he quotes sew
era notable Instances in which success has attended
such demands The Solicitor Of the State Department
il understood To hold the opinion that the whole
matter should be referred tn the Treasury Depart
ment, ms the acts OF Congress have relieved the
State Department Of all responsibility IN the premi
ses. The question is still under adysement IN the
State Department.
HOME FROM THE POSTAL CONGRESS.
Mr.. TYNER AND MIR. BLACKFAS RETURN FROM
PARIs-THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED BY THEM
THERE.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON July 2S.--First Assistant Post
master General Tyner and J. II. Blackfan, Super
intendent Of Foreign Mails, who have been acting
as commissioners of the United States to the
Postal Congress of Paris, have returned and are ex-
pected at the department tomorrow.
The principal feature of their work before this
Congress was to secure the formal recognition of
Americas extraordinary trans-continental mail
service. The original treaty fixed a maximum
territorial transit rate of 4 francs per kilo-
gramme for letters ard 90 confines for
newspapers. This rate limited the United
States TO charge for the transit of mails from Eng
land and other countries in the Postal Union very
much below the actual cost of carrying them. 1t
has been contended that under the original treaty
the United States could not charge more than that
maximum amount. There was u provision in this
treaty, however, by which this rate should not be
applicable to Indian mails to mails conveyed
across the territory of the United States between
New-York aud San Francisco Owing to the fact
that the foreign authorities were indlspOsed
10 allow q sufficient compensation for
the transit, the United States had TO
make special agreement with Great Britain which
has been made applicable TO other service with
other nations, by which this country gets francs
for letters.
In the French project of the Postal Congress of
Paris the provision was left out. The omission
rendered il necessary for the American deegates 10
labor for its insertion, which was accomplished
and il resulted III obtaining the object sought
The mails from Australia TO England average
400 bags or twenty-five tons of matter. The actual
cost 10 carry them was $577 q ton. The payment
on this material was only cents per pound, inyolY-
ing a loss of $457 ton, or $500 per annum on
printed matter. Similar losses were sustained by
the department in the transmission OF mail from
some of the French possessions.
After persistent effort the United States has sue
ceeded in limiting the obligations to pay for loss of
registered packages in all countries belonging
TO the Postal Union to $40 or there
abouts for the loss Of registered packages
without regard to their contents. This was modi-
fed 40 that the countries that do not agree to this
arrangement are not permitted to enjoy the benefits
of H. The basis of the agreement Tor carrying let
tiers of declared value Is proposition 10 permit 10
be- Endorsed on the letters the value OF their con-
tents in order that they may secure special care IN
transmission and handling. This was agreed to by
several countries of the Postal Union but not made
obligatory upon all In the matter Of an international
money order system with France. there Is yet
considerable difference of opinion. growing out OF
the desire of France to have the rate uniform t0r
All countries This would upset all the forms, rules
and systems Of the nations at present enjoying the
international system. The department here fayors
further consideration OF this particular suDlect,
and il IL thought that our Government will ask Tor
A special convention to consider the internationai
money order system.
A NEGLECTED. AGENCY.
80 80 c.utaa pyr1a AND IIARIE