New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-22
THOSE BEHRING SEA CLAIMS.
FACTS WHICH GRESHAM IGNORED IN HIS
STATEMENT TO CONGRESS.
NOTHING To SAY ABOUT THE OPINION OF
COUNSEL. BEFORE THE tribunal AGAINST
COSsEQv ENTAIL DAMAGES THE
NATURE cF THE DEMANDS.
fnY TELEGRAPH TO THE TmBrNE.l

fnY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBrNE.l
Washington Dec. 2l-The explanation Secretary
Gresham sent T. the House 81 Representatives. yes
torday concerning his agreement TO pay the brlt-h
Bchring sea claims does not conform {" ;he state
men, made by the President r Sfs recent message
10 Congress Mr.. cleveland says that these claims
have been subjected by both Governments to thor
ough examination upon the principles as wei AS the
facts which they involve but there IS no evidence
whatever In the letter OF Secretary Gresham that
they have ever been investigated or that the De-
partment OF State Is In possession Of more in
formation than was known 20 the counsel or the
United states before the Behr.ng Sea Trbuna. when
they denounced the greater PARK OK them as irudu-
lent The Secretary OF STATE submits Il list OF the
claims and several letters from Sc Julian fAunce-
fote asking that they be paid Eut he negecs TO send
Congress A report made to him by cN-S'ciettfy
Foster who had charge OF the case Of the Unit. d
States at Paris In which they are al reviewed and
The reasons why they should not be- allowed aye
given at length. NOr does the Secretary furnish To-
Congress the printed opinion OF the counsel ~ the
United states Messrs Carter. Phelps Couier', III d.
sett and Foster. that most 90 them are cn.ir'y
without Foundation. This opinion WAS based upon
evidence which might have been submitted aiso' hut
for some reason not.
Mr. Gresham says IN his letter that The question
of actual or consequential damages having been
withdrawn from the Tribunal. Of Arbitration, the
pending claims for British vessels actually
seized In BehrnS Sea or warned OUT or II 10y ct1'3-
err ~ the United states" That Is not true. More
than onc-half Of the $685. claimed As Judge Gresh
an, might see II he would read the evidence IS Tor
consequential damages that H. for the value Of st MS
that were not caught and the profits OF voyages mat
were not made because the United states issued 4
rracan.ation warning Canadian seaiers to keep out
Of lIchrlng Sea The Geneva tribunal Of ArDltrd-
ton ln 1871 decided that consequential damages could
not De- collected against Government. and the Brit
ish counsel formally withdrew all such Gains srom
the Paris Tribunal. AZ Judge Gresham asserts. Yet
he asks Congress to appropriate money 10 pay then
II he would examine the evidence he would see
that ten Of the eighteen vessels which claim nearly
twc-thlrds Of the $3s,5U-the Siyward, Thornton
Dolphin Pathfinder. Back Diamond. Anabeck.
Grace Carom!na, Alfred Adams aud bliy-beloascd
to The firm Of Warren q B0scov.,z of san Fran
cisco. who sold them for consideration OF 81 10 n
blacksmith In that city named Cooper, brother
in-law OF Warren. who happens to b. an English
subject ia order that through him the ships might
fi,oscov,E ,esteS mat In i an Nmepcan citlz@n
and he recently declared himself to be- such In some
papers nled win the British Consul al victoria
These ten ships were manned and oNicered by CHI
zcns OF the United states. and Their owners have no
Just claim whatever TO damages. NJ least three
Others who have flied Gains aS British subjects are
beleved'to be American c.iiz'ns. and although the
proof is not 20 clear the facts could be aScertalned
by Investigation or the remaining fve vessels four
were never seized by the United states authorities
at all but simply warned of the scaling
grounds Their claim sssgrogsle is9 900 OF which
damages which Mr. Gresham says were Withdrawn
The captains and mates 81 these vessels catn
sl 900 for wear and tear Of mind loss of reputation
and personal notification wnicn would undoubtedly
b. elias ed as consequential. damages. the state
ment concerning tn" condition aud foundation Tor
report contains all The facts In great detail and II
would have been only ordinary cantor on the part