The New York herald., 1878-10-21
How the British Claim for COmpenSa-
tiOn Was Made Up.
A MONSTROUS BILL.
Equities OF the United States Counter
Claim for an Offset.
NO VALUABLE PRIVILEGE GAINED.

Many no doubt then FIRST learned that a commission
had been sitting at Halifax having the subject
under consideration; others were aware that somo
points lett undetermined by the Treaty OF Washington
OF 1871 had stipulated by that treaty, referred
TO arbitration but had idea OF their possible mag
ptude; while even the best into rmed. including the
very negotiators OF the Treaty OF 1871. and those
most nearly connected with the commission ITSELF
wcre It seems wholly uuprepared for the result--an
award of $1,000, 900 against the United States.
While the public prints ieemed with denunciatons
OF the chief arbitrator and virtual umpire, and Of the
fact and manner OF his selection, II was astonishing
how little curiosity they expressed to learn the
grounds upon which a decIsion so unexpected was
based and how little said satisfy the curiosity
the public might naturally feel the subject.
Nor mystery any better understood when Mr..
Blaine In two speeches during the winter commune
cacd to the Senate statistics showing the very slight
acrual yield the United OF the Canadian in.
shore hsneres Of late years, and on The other hand
exhibited the loss incurred by the United States
through the REIMBURSEMENT under the treaty OF the
duties hitherto imports OF fish and fish
oil from Canada, and the corresponding gain Cana.
dianA Not even did the admirable letter OF Mr. Evarts
of May 16 1875 transmitted oy the President Con-
gress the following day-whIe showing many reasons
why such award should not have been made-at
all make apparent by what process had been arrived
with it, and tbese 1t might be hoped, would last
furnish some light
These documents were volum nous that It was
not untilthe middle OF July tnat their prn ting could
be completed, and that they were issued Ex. Doc,
No. so, OF the House OF Representatives,. Thcy
form altogether three ponderous octave volumes
OF tn ousand pages each, or 3,495 pages in
NIL. They consist OF the ''caseD OF Great Britain
the "answer' of tho United States ana me "reply"
taken before The commission, OF afdavits, exhibits
and other evidence offered either sIde OF the argu
ments OF counsel, and then a momentous halfpage,
whereupon, without word OF ntecedsnt explanation
calculation, inscribed over tho signatures Of
OF the Commissioners .$5. 500 900 in gold to be
paid by the government OF the United States 10 the
government OF her Britarnic Majesty" and over
signature OF the remaining Commissioner is ribed
less tnan nothing 10 be paid By The Same tho
same.
Let us sec that all is before which be-
fore the Commission, whether We can NJ oil ill up
satisfactorily to ourselves this hiatus between the
closed and the lnd.ng. and whether confirm
The award arrived At by IN, ,jori.y OF tho Commits
Bioners
CASE
And FIRST we turn 20 Iha scase', OF Great Britain
THIS 10 tho statement OF her claim by herself As
such II must all inat intends 10 demand
or expects 10 prove And, indeed. no exception,
it would seem, could be made to IL by reason
Of insufficiency. Whether we consider the va.
riety OF the grounds Of Claim stated or the
amount finally set up n must be admitted
that Grsas Britain has failed do herself full
justice. We snail reverse the orccr followed by the
case FIRST the most interesting item, the
claimed. This is, ''in respect 10 the Domin-
Ion OF Canada s12 000 900; in respect 10 Newiound-
land" 81 Ss0,000 or gross total Of Sl4,SS00 600 IS
what Britain claims over and above the value
Of any advantages conferred BRUSH subjects
The FISHERY articles of the Treaty OF Washington
The grounds claim thirty pages. The gist OF
Il Is summarized IN tho ioiloving sentence (page
p6J:"lt has stated the previons portions OF
this chapter average number of at least one
thousand United States vessels ANNUALLY freq uent
Br,tse Canadian waters The gross catch OF eacn
ycsss per trip has been estimated at IS. 600, con-
bic portion OF which la net profit resulting
tho privileges conferred by tho treaty" From a
statement furt her on In the case Of Newfoundland
fpasc 1851 IL appears The pront rccKoned
twenty per cent. which would give 81, ,12o tho ne,
profit OF each vessel Now, although Grea,
Britain does not state what proportion Of
this alleged net profit she would think IL
proper to charge for tho privilege of fishing
10 her waters. " clear that II could not be the
whole OF Il. For !. The whole OF the net profit OF
tne operation TO be absorbed IN paying her Tor
the baro privilege OF nsning, who would engage in
~ IL s not Great Brian tnat furnishes the capital
Invested the vessel and Its ouht, nor who pays the
wages Of the crew, or the running expenses or the
wear and tear interest the outlay, does
ehe incur what is perhaps, than all the great
the loss OF all those. Nor does Great Britain
even deliver or guarantee 10 the fisherman certain
quantity OF hsh all that she supplies Is tho privilege
OF CATCHING, II no eau, some nsh within certain
limit.
Britain receive in Of wbatshe furnishes ana OF
wnat otner party furnishesf Looking at IL as a
a a pn
oth.r tyanord TO pay herr woui1 any Bri4isb or
undertake TO guarantee 10 pay for
the privilege question, view OF his OUTLAY aud his
RISKS sum equal 10 one-fourth part OF the net profits,
rs above culcuutcdf
But let Us assume that Great Britain shall receive
onc-ourtn part ot the net profits At her own cacuia-
lion OF them. This would DO $3.50 per vesseL That
tots sum - lar beyond the estimate placed ~ Great
Briiaa herself upon the privilege rs SHOWN by tne
tact that, when lew years since that government
adopted the system OF issuing licenses 10 American
Dsnermen tho prices nxed by ~ for these licenses
we're follows:-ln the nrst year 1885, the license
Ico fifty cents per ton. The average tonnage OF
nshng vessels as appears Dy the Official British return
OF licenses issued tpp. lgI2lS does not certainly ex
sixty tous Thus the fixed by Great Britain
herself Tor the privilege 10 question that year $50
for each vessel -Four nunured snu lfty-ou vessels
took licenses tnat year. In 1867 the lee was raised
TO 81 say 900 per vessel; 29j vessels received
licenses IN that year. The noxt year tue Tee was
raised to 81 per ton, OF say $40 per vessel, the
b,ghest pr,cc attained In that wear only sixty -one
licenses taken out; in mo next tnrty.oDe, and
the system was then abandoned. On pnge 81 OF the
Ir,t,sn case occurs the following passage--.srnrs
tys,em Unet cf issuing hcepscsl alter beng
maintained tor -four years. was discontinued
owing 10 the neglect Of American fishermen
$40 provide themselves With iiocnses.' Tho rate
charged had IL b. on paid was cvidenty satisfactory
10 Great Britain IL i0OO vessell--ine number which
Greut Britain claims Aval themselves OF her privl-
Iege-Lad paid at and from That time $40 year
apiece the FISHERY COMMISSION, We may presume,
would OF bcen called into existence Twohundrcd
aud e,aty dollars per vessel Us then more than twice
Is Great britain herself asked Tor tins priyi-
Iere before sne 10 bring Va her bill before this
rommission. Two Bundrcd apd eighty dollars apiece
Tor 900 vessels is s2s0C0O year, which ior Twelve
years Is So, 800 900.
Tnis tncn so FAR ss any positive showing OF figures
Win the exception Of nxing tho proportion 10 wnicn
she would consider herself entitled of the net prohls
OF the business point which she leaves lnoehnte-
4, "a her own slate,neut In tho casc OF Ncwiound-
land, iurthcr tpagc 1881 she Claims one-tcnth only
OF the net pront.. The other data-tho number oi
vcsses--the amount oi their pronts are hcr own,
But have tnat the total oil Der claim iof
the Dominion Of Canada alone, and that, too ovor
and above the value OF the concessions made undcr