The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-02
Refused to Listen to Arguments
Scoring His Country.
BRITISH COUNSEL SAID UNITED
STATES HADA ACTED In BAD FAITH
Claimed That the Government Officers Had
Acted Contrary to the Ruling OF 'ne
Secretary of State and That the Ciaainl
Wore Not Presented AS They Shouio
Have Been-The Behring Sea Commits
sion Hard at Work.

sion Hard at Work.
Halifax, September 1.-THE Behr1ng
Sea commission has continued its WORK
from day to day, and although the ao-
dresses of counsel are necessarily unin-
teresting to the general public, yet . good
ly number attend every session and fol-
low the arguments of the speakers wiun
apparent enjoyment. The usual drynese
OF the proceedings were slightly varied 20
day when Mr.. Beique, who was address
ing the commission, referred to lack o.
good faith on the part of the United
States in seizing sealing vessels. He re-
gretted that in further discussion the sub
ject he might have occasion to use words
which would appeariharsh and offensive,
but he wished his words to be taken ID
their strictly legal sense, and as appli-
cable to officers of the United States Tor
the time being and not to the United
States themselves. The United States
officers had acted contrary to the rulings
of the Secretary of State and the claims
were not presented In good faith.
Judge Putnam-I can't sit here. and
hear that either Great Britain or the
United States have not acted IN good
faith, especially to bear any argument
touching the United States. The conven-
ton does not permit that question to be
raised at ALL
Mr.. Dickenson-As he"matter has been
referred to in the brief, would prefer
that it be discussed here.
Mr.. Beiuue--I am referring strictly to
the acts of the officers OF the government
and not to the government. shall
have occasion to refer to the argument of
Mr., Carter before the Paris Tribunal,
when he said that he would not defend
the seizures, sand my only purpose is to
show that it is a case where aggravated
damages should be granted.
Mr.. Beique, continuing, said that he
did not desire to be offensive to the Unit
ed States and he merely wished to refer
to the facts as they occurred to support
the claim for aggravat, d arages.
Judge Putnam said he took no excep-
tion to any statement of law offered or
to any question raised by the record as
to these acts, but he could not sit and
listen to comments on the 4graciousness
or ungraciousness of the United States.
Mr.. Beique made an elaborate argu-
ment to establish Great Britain's right
to claim for loss of prospective catch.
Mr.. Beique scored the United States. for
neglecting on the part of the officials of
that country regarding seizures made
without warming to the owners of vessels
engaged in sealing. He argued that the
action of the United States authorities in
making seizures after that country had
given assurance that none would be made
after the protest of Lord Salisbury in 1895
aggravated the case. The tardiness in
vegitating the seizures further strength
ened the case against the American gov
ernment. He also referred to the breech
in the terms of the modus vivendi by
which the United States agreed to hand
over British vessels to England for trial.
There was only one instance, Mr.. Beique
affirmed in which this agreement was
kept, and in other cases vessels were held
in the custody of the United States for
months even in the face of the agree
ment between the two countries.
Mr.. Beique claimed that where the YES
seis seized proved a total loss the United
States brief claimed that it would have
been an easy matter for the owner to
replace his loss.
The speaker Joined issue on this ques-
tion and claimed that such an argument
was absurd, when it was considered that
the season for sealing was limited and
that the scene of seizure was 1900 miles
away. These vessels as well as those in.
JuICus ny pJl 1OSS WOlO AuAUC COllpC'
tent to recover damages. MIR. Beique took
up the claim made by the United States
of the remoteness Of the English claim
and again joined issues with his learned
friend. He quoted to considerable length
from good authorities in support of his
argument.
Mr.. Beique continuing on the question
of prospective catch, expressed the view
that every owner whose vessel was seized
had right to consider that his property
would be released and as the property
was detained the owner was therefore en-
titled to expect remuneration for all loss
es. He then took up the loss of officers
and men from wages, arrest, inprison
ment, and other hardships and 1t was
claimed that many instances Of similar
wrongs have been largely recovered for.
Mr.. Beique passed rapidly over the
question of interest and the amount
claimed for costs for the Sayward cast
and closed his address of two days by =
quotation from the remarks of the Chie1
Justice of England before the Paris Iri-
bunal.
Mr.. Bodwell will Lbegin his address a,
once.
Catholic Young Men Elect Officers.