The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-01-01
ALABAMA CLAIMS.
The Court Completes Its List of
Awards.

WASHINGTON Dec. 31.-The Court of Alabama
Claims Yesterday completed its final list of awards
in the war premium cases, signed them and made
formal delivery of them to the Secretary OF state,
who is required by law to certify them to the Sec
retary of the Treasury for payment The exact
amount found due was $1o,7o5,371.43. The in
terest added raises the amount to over sixteen
millions; but this has only been calculated in or
der comply with the strict letter OF the law No
BODY expects to get cent of interest," and not
much more than fifty per cent OF the principal
The total expenses of the court will amount to
about four hundred thousand dollars. This in
cludeS over one hundred and fltty thousand dol
lars for printing made obligatory by the law and
like amount for the services of special counsel in
all parts of the world where testimony has had to
be taken. The expenses OF the previous Court OF
Alabama Claims, which had only one class OF
claims to deal with chose covered by the Geneva
award) and the aggregate OF whose business was
less than one-fouTth of that of the present court
were two hundred and fifty-f0ur thousand dollars.
One singular feature OF the proceedings OF THIS
court is that it has been called upon to assess
damages for the depredatlons OF not less than
seventeen so-caed Confederate cruisers not IN
cIuded in the Geneva award, eleven OF whom were
by name brought before that tribunal, and by a
substantially unanimous vote except as to one OF
them (the Retrbutlon) were decided TO be vessels
for the fitting out Of which Great Britain was ID
no Way directly or indirectly, responsible. These
cruisers were for the most part tug boats hastily
armed in the ports OF South Carolina, Alabama,
North Carolina and New orleans, ana PROVIDED 1ea
Confederate Congress at the outbreak OF the war
and before any effective blockade had been estab-
lished on the Southern ports. The ascertained
amount of their depredations, including interest,
is about three million dollars; All these awards
have ALREADY been paid out of the Geneva fund; ;
and also some additional half million for depreda-
tions of the Alabama and Florida, which might
have been brought in the former court but were
not. . = ~,
Court this morning. Mr.. W. W. Ladd of Boston
rose and wished to read protest against the i'm
nroner manner in which, as he considered certain
claims Of his had been adjusted. But the presid-
ing Judge nterrupting, said the Court would con,
sider the paper in chambers, and if they deemed
# proper one it would be spread on the record
The presiding Judge then read a statement OF the
work HnT p ACCOMPLISHED by the Court Mr.. N. Ian
dees on behalf Of the bar presented f1 sere: nd Of
fairness Of the Court. Judge French bore testi-
mony to the untiring zeal and great ability OF Hon.
T A. i. Creswell counsel for the United states;
and associated with his name that OF his falthtui
.assistant. Walker Blame Some OF the other Of
Scers Of the court were also selected for eommen-
dsfion and the court then took recess until the
evening to sign the remaining vouchers ana MAKE
tbeir fTai statement of account to the Secretary
of State.