Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-01
THE BERlNG SEA CLAIMS
Difference Of Opinion About a Claim
for Oyer 1920
Speculative and Excessive Damage
Ciaims-thc Liability OF the
untted States.

VICTORIA, B. O., Dec. 1.--When the
Bering sea claims commission met
yesterday, Gen. Dickinson stated thar
he had already filed an answer in the
first case and that the others would be
put In AZ soon rs they were got realty
for the printers. He then filed mo-
ton 10 ditmiss case No. 20 for S62, s27. IL
for ciats OF the Ssyward case. The
ground for the motion was that these
caees wsts tirdffed " the Cabnsian
government ana not by individuals
and Therefore the claim did not come
before the commissioners within the
terms OF the convention. In case his
friends on the opposite side intended to
press the claim he would ask Tor an
adjournment pending an answer from
his government.
MI. Peters expressed surprise at the
motion and said he certainly intended
to press the claim. Tue eum named
was actually paid by the Canadian
government, which, as far as the tri-
bunal was concerned, was the British
government.
Mr.. Dickinson stated that such q
claim as this had no more right to be
put in than would claim for the costs
OF his government before the Paris
tribunal. Costs incurred by indiviuu-
ais might be put In, but not costs In
CURED by either government. They
were excluded by the terms OF the
convention.
Mr.. Peters was satisfied to let the
matter stand over, and he further pro-
posed thst Judgment be delayed In the
Black Diamond and James Gauuin
moti0ne until be had heard from Sir
Julian Pauncefote, to whom he had
wire and who would Interview Secre.
taty Olnev.
Justice King announced that nothing
further could be done in the Haywsrd
COSTS until counsel again mentioned 1t.
Il was then arranged to take up the
Caroline case on Wednesday.
The rel lies fled by the United States
state generally that the seizures were
made In good faith by officers OF the
United States within the line Of their
duty anu authority and the mandates
OF the municipal laws OF the United
States for violation OF the statutes OF
the United Slater, and such seizures
were RATIFIED aud adopted In good
idltu Ny tno Vi kut ~ ult6u
States as for violation OF their sta-
tutes.
Section . Of the reply reads:
"rhe United States aver that before,
at the time OF aud sitter the seizure OF
the said vessels, theirespparel, outfit
and cargo were wholly or in part the
actual property OF citizen or citizens
OF the United States, and further, that
at the time aforesaid the beneficial In
terest In the whole or in part OF said
vessels, their apparel, outfit anu cargo,
were possessed and owned by u citizen
or citizens Of the United States, and
that said voyage was entered upon and
prosecuted In whole or In part for tho
benefit OF citizens Of the United
States"
The reply further alleges that the
damage claims are speculative and cx-
cessive as 10 domnRes claimed for the
arrest ana imprlsor IN Mt OF the masters
and mn tes OF the vessele. The United
States aver that tho only damages to
be considered in the case Of any liabil.
iiy on the part OF the United States for
such arrests and dstentions are those
for actual pecuniary loss and are not Ia
their nature primitive or aggregated
damages.