The Portland daily press., 1883-12-31
MARINE WAR CLAIMS.
Schemes for Paymcat "a i'm Gases Heretofore
Rejectod-The Great Labors Imposed ON
the Alabama Claims Court.

WASHINGTON, Dec ga lumber of bills
have been introduced into Congress (seyeral in
the Senate by Senator Garland and some in
the House). ostensb'y extend ling the term Of
the Court of Alabama Claims, but in reality
providing by legislation for ths payment of
claims which by judicial DEGREES of the court
have been rejected. For Instance, one of the
bills provides that the term "Confederate
cruiser" shall be held to mean any force.
whether on land or sea, operated under au-
thority Of or in tie interests of the Confeder-
ate States This is intended to coyer that class
of cases where captures of vessels have been
made by passengers getting on in disguise and
afterward rising on the crew and seizing the
vessel, and other cases. Again where can
lures were made in port,not on the high seas,
by land forces acting under commission of
the Confederate ates, but not part Of the
naval forces of the Confederate States The
amount of The claims of this class rejected by
the court VIII probably be less than three or
four millions Of dollars. The passage Of this
act would rehabilitate them. Another provi-
sion coDtalnsd in ona of these volunteer bills
ia that the term "high seas which has al
ready been passed noon by the Court as COM
mencing marine league from land, should
be construed to mean wherever the tide ebbs
and flows, which would make capture at
Baton Rouge on the Mississippi a capture on
the high seas, and would cover a number Of
cases OF destruction OF vessels owned by North
ern capitalists in the Mississippi and other
large rivers. There are about two million
dollars involved in these cases. 1t is quite
evident that some measure extending the term
of the Alabama Court, which under the lim-
itation5 OF the present act expires on the 14th
of next j My, must be adopted. There are in
all 300 claims filed for adjudication. The
court mas lQOuStr1Ougly pC0rkAd fbaea
cases. and yet has failed to dispose of more
than eight or nine hundred, includiug about
one hundred cases which are still under as-
vlsement. The cases of the second class for
war premiums uald present a number of very
complicated qnestions both OF law and of snet.
There are cases on file and other casas under
consideration where there are 30 to 100
benetciares. AS to each one of these the
court has to examine into the record TO aseer-
tain whether his loyalty and other iurisdic-
tional fact required to be proved have been es-
tabl .Shed, and elso es to whether the PAYMENT
Of the premium has been fully proved. The
Boston fire, which destroyed so many records
OF the insurance companies, aud the POrtland
ire, have added very greatly to the elements
OF uncertainty in this matter. The greater
part OF the work OF the court has consequently,
TO be in cham bers, and court has betn sitting
in chambers from eight to ten hours q day The
court will reconvene on the 7th OF January.
Among the questions upon which decision
may then probably be expec.ed are: First.
whether the Boston was q confederate cruiser
within the meaning OF the act. and whether
the captureSmade by it come Wlthin the Dur-
view OF the court. Second, whether the war
premiums paid by a firm which subsequently
went lnto bankruptcy should be awarded 10
that hrm Or to tue assignee III bankruptcy,
Ihere are number of other cases of com Dli-
Gated Titles which are under the consideration
OF the court, but which involve no broad legal
PRINCIPLES.