The herald., 1894-12-21
FUR SEAL AWARD.
Secretary Gresham. Sends Correspond
sncs to Congress.

Secretary Gresham. Sends Ccssesresa-
sncs to Congress.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-Secretary
Gresham today sent to the house in an.
swsr to q resolution calling for an ex'
planation Of his reasons for arranging
with Great Britain for the payment Of
the claims OF Britiah sealing vessels, the
following letter:
To the Honorable, the Speaker of the House Of
Representatives:
The undersigned is directed by the president
to re pond TO The resolution adopted by your
honorable body on the 18th instant requesting
the secretary of state ito communicate 10 the
house OF representatives, if not Inconsistent
with the interests of the public service. all cor
respOndeuce reports and other documents not
heretofore made public, touching the payment
by the United states of S4 20 900 10 Great
Britain for damages growing out of the con-
troversy as to fur seas In Bering sea or the
seizure of British vessels engaged in taking
sea s in those waters"
The undersigned accordingly has the honor
to eemmunicate to the hou,e OF representa-;
tives copies of the correspondence exchanged
on the subject covered by the resolution in
which will be found a statemsn snt OF the claim
fled by Great Britain for d. IN ages sustained by
British subj cts by rea on of the seizure OF
their sealing vesse in the Bering sea or OF be-
ing warned to cease operations there.
The Paris tribunal of arbitrat, on held that
the Uniteu states had no right of protection OF
property in the fur seals outside the ordinary
lhcee-miie limit
Article of the convention OF February 20,
1892, whereby quesuons have arisen between
the two governme rts concerning the jurisoic.
tional rights of the United States il the waters
OF Berng were submitted to arbitratlon,
recited that the high contracting parties had
bsen unable to agree upon reference which
would include the question OF the lab lty OF
g ,ch of the mi uries alleged TO have baen sus-
tatned by the other, whereby It's citizens In
connection with the claims presented and
urged by 1t, and being solicitous that this
hnrd In, ata anrIp ION sb nitld
longer delay the submission and determine
tion OF the main questions they have agreed:
That either may submit to arbitratoIs arb any
ask for a finding thereon, the question OF tne
liability of any government upon the facts
found to be the subject of fnr,hsr egoti alton"
Under this article the rbitrators unanimous
ly found that a number OF British sealing YES
svls were seized in Bering sea or warned there
from by cruisers of the United States on the
days and at the places in the special findings
mentioned, leaving for further determinations
the questions oi the value "of the said ves'eis
their contents or either OF them, and the ques-
tions as to whether the vessels mentioned in
the schedule to the British case or any OF them
were wholly or in part the actual property OF
citizens of the United States." IL the plan OF
settlement recommended by the president in
his annual message is not acceptable TO con-
gress, The remaining controverted questions
must be determined either by the orsanlzation
of joint commission or by negotiations be-
tween the two governments. Experience has
shown that International co ADMISSIONS are slow
sorted to, the evidence would be found mostly
on the PACIFIC coast, widely scattered, and
coun el would be needed to examine and
crOss-exemine witnesses.
The question of indirect or consequential
dsmsges having been Withdrawn from the
tribunal Of ar bItration, the pending claims are
for British vessels actually siezed in Be,ing sea
or warned out of IL by cruisers OF the United
ates 1t will appear from the submitted cor
respondeuce that the agreement to pay lump
sum OF S425. 900, in full settlement, was pro-
posed by this government. The amount IL con-
sder bly, below the dam age claimed by Great
Britain, exclu i've of interest for a number OF
years.
If this agreement does not receive the ap-
proval of congress and the disputed questions
are submitted to an International commission,
1t is believed that the amounts allowed and
the exnen'es OF the tribunal. including wit
nesses and the taking of their testimony, will
largely exceed $425, 900
III view of all the facts and what may reason
ably be expected as the result of q commission,
the undei signed submits that a prompt and
final settlement of the vexatious controversy,
by an appropriation of the lump sum agreed
on, is advisable. Respectfully submitted,
W. @. GREsHAM.
Deparm ment of state, Washington, D. C, bee.