New-York tribune., 1896-11-15
ARBITRATION NO NEW THING.
IT DATES BACK TO ANCIENT GREECE-THE
VENEZUELAN CASE THE TWENTY
FOURTH IN ENGLAND'S
HISTORY

Great Britain's agreement to the proposal OF
the United States that she should submit the
points at issue In her dispute with Venezuela TO
international arbitration is entirely in keeping
with her modern history. 1t is the twenty
fourth question which she has submitted to
arbitration. the principle Of which may, there
fore. be considered as having definitely become
part and parcel OF her foreign policy. The same
may be said Of the United States. which has
some eighteen arbtrations to her credit, and
there is no doubt that this method OF settling
disputes so consonant with the dictates Of hu-
manity and civilization. will grow in popularity
in proportion to the increase Of the ruin, the
horrors and the costlness Of war.
Yet It would be wrong to imagine that aro'-
tration IS an invention Of modern times, or an
offspring Of nineteenth century enlightenment
It played an extensive role In the history OF
ancient Greece Perander being chosen to settle
a quarrel between Mitylene and Athens while
Themistocles was chosen 10 arbitrate the dlf-
ferences between Corinth and Corcyra- Some
nine cases Of arbitration are on record as nav
ing occurred in Europe in the eighteenth CEN
tury, while in the present century there have
been taking them altogether. well-nlgn a nun
dred Instances Of the same kind
No little credit is due to the International
Of arbitration as the best means OF bringing
disputes between nations and governments 10
a satisfactory conclusion ROUNDED WITHIN d
few months after the battle OF Waterloo anu
the close Of the disastrous Napoeonic wars loT
the express purpose OF promoting universal
peace by means of international aFpltratlol u
has since grown phenomenally IN power anu
influence and from time to time has held con-
gresses some OF the most important OF when
are those which took place at Berne N i,S1' III
London in 1851. and at The Hague IN 1910.
One Of the most important arbtrations that
have taken place in the present century Is me
so-called Alabama Claims arDitratioh' whlcn
held its sittings at Geneva and was orSahlZeu
for the express purpose Of deciding the ahoull.
| If CONDENSATION due by the I,n,,lish Government
to the United States for tie renissness q the
british authorities in permitting Confeur'aM'e Al
nrivateers destined for the destruction Of the
maritime trade Of the tr.it"d states 10 oe
equipped in English ports. The tribunal was
composed OF five persons named pS ,hs '.oesn ..
ENGLAND. the President OF the United states the
King of Italy the Emperor OF Brazil ana the
President Of the Sw !ss Confederation resiec'lEe-
ly and the bench thus constituted rendered Judg-
ment against the English Government 10 the
tune Of some S15. 100000.
Among those who have been selected by con-
nicting Governments as arbitTators oI tnelr o.l
ferences have been the late Emperor Nlilafn ol
Germany the late King OF Holland. the iate
Marshal MacMahon (while President OF the
French Republic the present Pope VINO P atpi-
trated the quarrel between Germany ana spain
on the subject Of the Caroline Islands, and the
President OF the Swiss Republic. whose ser
vices were invoked only few months ago Dy the
English Government 10 determine the merits OF
&c disDute with the American Republic or Co
Ion,hia Sometimes persons other than the chiefs
az Stats are selected arDitrators. ana the
newly appointed British Ambassador at Paris
Sir Edmund Monson. who was AT Washins toi, =
Nth Lord LYONS during the Presidency or
Abraham Lincoln prizes'among his most treas
ured possessions a superb silver service pre-.
sented to him jointly by the Governments Oh
Dan,nark and Of the United States for his sue
cessful and satisfactory arbitration OF the dif-
cultv that used 70 be known by the name o. the
Butterfeld Claims