New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-23
GRESHAM'S BAD BARGAIN.
WILL CONGRESS PAY THOSE DAMAGES
TO CANADIAN SEALERS?

vash,rgton Feb 22-The Committee on Appro-
n-iatons OF the House of Representatives. mas
offered one amendment, TO the General De"0''.'
Authorization bill which will undoup'eoS p'o
woke a Lively discussion in that body tomorrow "
whenever II is reached in the consioera''o" - WV
hill The amendment reads as follows
Eor .re nav,nent to the Government OF uIeao
Britain under the agreement reached oy Of
o, demands for damages against the United s'a. Ives
growing out OF the controversy oes" pehrinr sea
under the award and findings Of the Tribunal Vi
Arbitration at Paris A2o.VN ,..ra
1t Is difficult. II not impossiole' 10 UNI" -, ~,
WHY the Secretary of State. with the facts III ms
noss.ssion should have recommended OF why
president Cleveland with the same iac's pres ',
ably before him, could have made the one W."
was so eagerly accepted by Sir Juhan 49,,
A brief review OF the facts may De % M -.
at this time. when Congress Is oa. ~, tho
make an appropriation of a2oOoo 10 ca,is o.' a,.
,.rr,s of a bargain which was improvideh'' u say
the least on June 7. 1894. Sir Juhah Gun Nv
transmitted "a complete list ana sui'iN'ai' - =,
claims to Secretary Gresham anu Wy va. -
,'s covarnment suggested that Great Britain ana
tho United States should each appoint '
qualified commissioner who shouiu DC 'a"''
a 4, noss,h,e possess some knowledge OF the con-
ditions of the sealing industry. he a'so oneleu
some suggestions as TO the manner Oh Pioceeu"e
II appears from this letter that sir Julian
toto had previously been informed by secretary
cresSa,n that In the opinion Of the Administrator
80 convention would be necessary for the ADJUST
mont ~ the claims" and this view was accep'eu
nv the British Government lhere 'he ii'"''e
seems to have rested until August IL anu !" aiSo
anrcars tina, the opinion of the Administration
r,dswent a change In the mean time In COM
r,unication TO Sir Julian Pauncefote dateo AusuS'
., $50. the Secretary OF State, referring 10 the
formers verbal communications OF recent ua'e'
said that while no serious dinicui'y Is an
mated In settling and determining the Claims III 'n
manner proposed" it was desirable that the! shouu
he d,sposed If II possible "ln simpler ana less
n.,,,o gay" secretary Gresham continued;
In tho nresent case the award and findings OF tne
Tribunal Of Arbitration at Paris nave 70 s, on
Witch the Claims should be adjusted; and IN tne
course OF the negotiations Tor 18th s;oyernments to
a thorough examination, Dotn upon INC Pi"F'
and the facts which they Involve ,.o.
He then went to say that the PRESIDENT ar,
full consideration of the whole subject mas rea,neu
,h conclusion that II may be practicable as well as
advantageous to effect direct settlement VI ."e
claims by the payment OF a lump sum III iu'i sou
faction of all demands FOR damages against inc
United States growing out Of the controversy oe-
..or m. two Governments as to the fur seals IN
Rehr,ne Sea and to this end am instructed py
che President to propose the sum OF SZo'oo'
Secretary Gresham explained that this proposition
was 10 be understood. N accepted, as nav
ing been made subject to the action Oh oo'siess
on the question Of appropriating the money; 'ha'
tho President could only undertake to submit the
matter to Congress. with a Recommendation 'ha'
the money be appropriated and mace irh"eu'a',''
available and that II Great Britain shoulo so ue-
.ire at any time before the making of the appro-
nration .it is understood that the negotiations on
which we have been for some time ehgageu LOT 'He
establishment of a mixed commission Will be re-
newed"
Sir Julian Pauncefote was quick 10 perceive ana
seize the advantage to the claimants OF TINS oher'
and he was not slow to accept it. In letter 10
date
day on which the offer was made, he responded In
n note from which the following is pertinent ex-
tract:
have the honor to state in reply that Her Maj
estvs Go, eminent In the views of the Pres
ident as 10 the expediency Of efecting setueheni
so fully sensible Of the great advantages presented
both Governments by that course that lneS are are
! assurance Of prompt payment although the amount
much below their estimate Of the compensation so
mission Il should be understood. therefore that
the neg0a th ior He Of your proposal shall
prosecution Of their demands.
The list OF claims transmitted TO the Secretary OF
State by Sir Julian Pauncefote. and which he de-
scribed as complete list" amounted to $42l6s
and consisted of various items on account OF the
value Of sealing vessels (alleged 10 be the property
of British subjects) seized and condemned by the
United States from 1856 $780, both inclusive value
Of outfit. Insurance. legal expenses. etc In add
ton to these items there In every case a
claim on account OF the estimated catch OF seals
that is. the number which it estimated might
have been caught In the year Of seizure II the
seaer herself had not been caught by vessel of
the United States. or the total amount Of claims
(i4269 no less than S377.9n was on account OF the
estimated value Of seals which might have been
caught IL the United States had not interfered with
and stopped the depredations of the poachers This
left only Sl64228 account Of all other claims. OF
which the alleged value Of the vessels figures among
the smaller items. 1t may seem strange that claims
for the estimated value" Of seals never caught
should have been entertained by anybody at any
time but 1t is a fact that such claims were dis
tinctly recognized and provided for by Article V
OF the modus vivend OF 1892 That was the only
ground for the claims included in Sir Julian Paunce-
totes complete list on account OF the estimated
value OF seals uncaught. and that ground remained
until May 81 1893. on that day. according to the
British report Of the proceedings Of the Tribunal OF
Arbitration. Sir Charles Russell. addressing the
Tribunal. sad:
/ wish to relieve and am glad to relieve the Tri-
Suna question e q damages under Article Of
modus vivend Of 1892 which is also RENTED to this
reference because it is an admission am going to
s of the the printed gave St 'np
to damages Snder ha aya SPEAK ana
R they Saa unde n0' ths earlier vyendi
seaiers"a sV sum. think exceeding sOo,oo-looking
the fact that under an he noG ali
OF the sealers that would have resorted to the
eastern part OF Behring Sea had made catcnes OF
seals In other parts Of the ocean, and although
think IL might be argued that this Tribunal Is re-
qurcd by Article TO give damages on s she bays
been taken in Behrng Sea- in all the ms
that view upon the Tribunal. and therefore VII
ask for no finding for damages upon and under thd'
fifth article OF the modus vivend but II VIII PROD
ably be convenient in the award which the arbl-
traitors may think proper to make to state upon
Its face that both the United States ana tredl
Britain have abandoned any claim for damages
under that head. -. A.,
The presiden,-You agreed also as to that. Mr.
Phelps?
Mr.. Phelps-Yes.
Thus 1t will be seen that the basis OF claims Tor
ESTIMATED value OF seals not caught was removed
BY the OF both Great Britain and the
United States more than year prior TO Secretary
Greshams offer to pay "a lump sum- the larger
part OF which was to be devoted 10 the payment OF