The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-12-21
The CHEAPEST WAY OUT.
That Is Why Gresham Paid the Bedng Sea
ClaIms.

warrington, Doc. ~. O.-frrr0tnfy irNH~
ham to-day sent 10 the house, IN answer
10 reaplntion calling for an oxpiana-
tlon of his reasons for arranging with
Great Britain Tor the payment ~ the
claims of British scaling vessels, thD
following letter.
"r0 the honorable gpeak'r Of the
house ~ representative. Tho under
signed In directed by the president To-
rcHpond Ia % resolution adopted JOS Supr
honorable body On the 18th inst, rr-
qurHtlnR thr secretary 0f state 10 cone
munlcato to the house NJ rrpreFruta-
lives. W not inconsistent with Tho inter
cat Of The public pcrYicc, 1ll C0frrHpuu-
dcncr. reports aud other documents not
heretofore made pubic touching the
payment by the United States ~ yl25,-
900 tp GrCat Britain for damages grow
Ing ont Of the controversy a8 to Iur
seaB Ia Bcrlug sra or the HcizlUr NJ
British vessels engaged IN taking seals
in those waters
1.-THE undersigned accordingly has the
honor tu communicate to the house Of
representatives, copies Of the cores
pondcncc exchanged on Ia" subject
covered by the resolution, IN which VIII
! be found statement ~ the claims
iiled by Great Britain for damages sua-
| talhcd by British subjects boy reason
OF the seizure Of their scaling vessels
In Bcrlng sea, or of being warned 10
cease operations there.
"fhc Paris tribunal Of arbitration
held that the United Stacs had uu
right of protection of property iu fur
seals In Bering sea outside of The or-
dinary three mile limit, Article Uf
the convention of February -, 1872,
whereby the questions which have
arisen between the two governments
concerning iurlsdlctlonal rights of the
United States In the waters Of Berlng
sea were submitted Ia arbitration, re-
cited that the high contracting parties
had been unable Ia agree upon refer
ence which would include the question
of the liability Of each for the injuries
alleged 10 have been sustained by the
other. whereby it's citizens, IN connec-
tion with claims presented and urged
| by II. and being solicitous that this
subordinate question should not Inter
rupt or longer delay submission ana de-
Termination OF the main questions, they
have agreed that either may submit
to arbitrators any question Of fact In
yolved In said claims. and ask for md
ling thereon, the question Of the liabll-
lty OF either government upon the facts
found 10 be the subject OF further nego-
tiations.
"under this article the arbltrators
unanimously found that number OF
British sealing vessels We're seized on
| Beiing sea or warned therefrom, by
cruisers of the United States on days
and at places I'm the special finding
mentioned. Leaving for further deter
mination the questions OF the value 'ot
the said vessels, OF their contents, OF
either OF them, and the question as u
/ L. "a
schedule to the British case or any OF
them, were wholly or In part the ac-
tual property of citizens Of the United
States
| "If the plan of settlement recon-
mended by the president In his annual
message is not acceptable TO congress-
the remaining cOntroverted questions
must be determined either by organlza-
tion of joint commission, or by nego-
tiations between the two governments.
Experience has shown that interna-
tional commissions are slow and expen-
sive. Should such a course be resorted
to the evidence would be found mostly
on the Pacific coast, widely scattered,
and counsel would be needed To exam
line and cross-eXamtne witnesses. fhe
lauestion of indirect or consequential
damages having been withdrawn from
tribunal arbitration. pending claims are
for British vessels actually siezed IN
Bering sea or warned out of 1t by the
cruisers of the United States. IL VIII
appear from the submitted correspon-
dence that the agreement To pay a
lump sum Of sl25OOO in full settlement
was proposed by this government The
lamount is considerably below the dam
ages claimed by Great Britain, eXclu-
siVe of interest for number OF years
"If this agreement does not receive
the approval of congress, and disputed
Questions are submitted 10 an interna-
i tional commission, II is believed the
lamounts allowed and expenses OF the
tribunal. including witnesses ana the
taking of their testimony, will largely
exceed Si25.O00. In view OF all the facts
land what may be reasonably expected
as a result Of the commission, the un'
dersigned submits that the prompt and
final settlement of the VeNatious con
troversy by an appropriation OF th'
lump sum agreed upon is advisable
Respectfully submitted.
Nv. @. GRESHAM,
Department Of, state, Washington