The morning call., 1894-12-21
PAID TO SEALERS.
Mr.. Gresham Submits
the Case.
ALL GIVEN TO CONGRESS
To Approve or Disapprove Cleve-
lands Action.
MONEY DUE BRITISH SUBJECTS.
The Administration has Tried to
Get Off as CheapIy as it
Possibly Could.
MONEY DUE BRITISH SUBJECTS.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 17.--Secretary Gres-
ham to-day sent to the House in answer to
resolution calling for an explanation of
bis reasons for arranging with Great
Britain for the payment OF claims of Brit
ish sealing vessels the following letter:
To the Honorable the Speaker of the
House OF Representatives.: The under
signed is directed by the President to re-
spond to the resolution adopted by your
honorable body on the 18th inst, request
ing the Secretary of State "to communi-
cate with the House of Representatives.
If not Inconsistent with the interest of the
public service, all correspondence. reports
and other documents not heretofore made
pnblic, touching the payment by the
United States of S425, 900 TO Great Britain
for damages growing out of the cOntro-
versy as to fur seals In BeriDg Sea or the
seizure of British vessels engaged in taking
seals in those waters"
The undersigned accordingly has the
honor to communicate to the House Of
Representatives copies of the correspond
ence exchanged on the subject covered by
the resolution, in which will be found a
statement OF the claims filed by Great
Britain for damages sustained by British
subjects by reason of the seizure of their
sealing vessels in the Bering Sea or of
being warned to cease operations there.
The Paris tribunal of arbitration held
that the United States had no right of
protection of property in the fur seals in
BerIng Sea outside the ordinary three
mile limit.
Article of the convention of February
29. 1892, whereby the questions which have
arisen between the two Governments con-
cerning the jurisdictiOnal rights of the
United States in the waters of Bering Sea
were submitted to arbitration, recited tha
the hign contracting parties had been un-
able 10 agree upon a reference which
would include the question of the liabil-
tty OF each for the Injuries alleged to have
been sustained by the other in connection
with the claims presente and urged by it,
and being sOlIcttOus that this subordinate
question should not interrupt or longer 1e-
laV he snbmiasior and detsznIiRatioE of
the main issues, they have agreed "that
either may submit to arhItrstors any
question of fact involved in said claims
and ask for finding thereon. the ques-
ton of the liability of either Government
upon the facts to be the subject Of further
negotiation"
Under this article the arbitrator unani-
mously found that a number Of British
sealing vessels were seized in Bering Sea
or warned therefrom by cruisers of the
United States on the days and at the
places in the special findings mentioned,
leaving for further determination the
questions of the value ''of the said vessels
or their contents, or either of them, and
the question as to whether the vessels
mentioned in the schedule Of the British
case or any Of them we've wholly or in part
the actual property of citizens Of the
United States"
If the plan Of settlement recommended
by the President in his annual message is
not accepta BILE to Congress the remaining
controverted questions must be determined
either by the organization of a joint COM
mission or by negotiations between the
two Governments. Experience has shown
that International commissions are slow
and expensive. Should such course be
resorted to the evidence would be found
mostly Oh the Pacific Coast, widely scat
tered. and counsel would be needed to ex-
anime and cross-examine witnesses.
The question of indirect or conseouen-
tial damages having been withdrawn from
the tribunal of arbitration the pending
claims are for British vessels actually
seized in Bering Sea or warned out of it
by cruisers of the United States. 1t will
appear from the submitted correspondence
that the agreement 20 pay lump of S425.-
900 in full settlement was proposed by this
Government. The amount is considerably
below the damage claimed by Great Bri-
tain, exclusive Of interest for a number of
years.
If this arrangement does not receive the
approval of Congress, and the disputed
questions are submitted to an international
commission. it is believed that the amounts
allowed and the expenses of the tribunal.
including witnesses and the taking of their
testimony, will largely exceed $425, 600.
In view of all the facts and what NAV
be reasonably expected as the result of a
commission the undersigned submits that
a prompt and final settlement of the yexa-
tIous controversy by an appropriation of
the lump sum agreed upon is advisable.
Respectfully submitted,
W. @ GRESHAM.
Department of State. Washington, d. c.,
December 90 1894.