Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-12-24
DEHR|NG SEA AWARD.
Official Statement That Bears
Out the News from the Ca.
madam Capital.
sEALERS CLAIMS ARE CUT DOVE,

But They Get More Than They Were VIII.
Ing to Take Three Years Ago-Deci.ion
- To Prospective Damages Doesn't Seem
To He Known, hut Appears To He Mega
uve-Don Dickinson Talks Of the Case
London Times' View.
Washington. Dec. 2i-The only Of
6cial statement that could be secured
here of the judgment reached by the
commissioners in the Behring sea
seizures case Is contained in the fol-
lowing announcement given out at the
state department: THE award Of the
Behring sea claims commission has
been filed in the department Of state.
The claims as presented by the British
government to the commission on ac-
count of Canadian vessels seized In
the Behring sea aggregated, with inter-
est. H.500oOo. These included under
the claims treaty several cases not
embraced In the settlement proposed
by Secretary Gresham. The award now
made amounts to se3i. 1871 to which is
To be added interest. which will in
crease the total about 80 per cent. The
award is final and d!sposes of all cases
presented. Payment under the treaty
must be made within six months"
Being bound by treaty not only to pay
any judgments rendered. but to pay
them promptly the government is in
honor bound to take the remaining
steps towards settlement in short or
der. and will ii once ask congress to ap-
propriate.
Prospective Damages Not Allowed.
There appears to be little doubt that
the United States carried its point on
the main question involved-as to the
right of damages for sealskins which
might have been taken IL the vessels
had not been seized. The British claim
Included the estimated profits which in
! the aggregate ran the claim up TO
high figure. In view OF the small amount
OF the actual award. these large pros
pective damages evidently are scaled
down TO an insignificant amount or re-
jectcd entirely. While the department
officials will make no definite announce
ment 10 this effect intimations are
given that the smallness of the award
prccludes the possibility Of any allow
ance having been made on account of
prospective damages. The ALBANIA
claims commission established the pre-
cedent that remote damages could not
be included in claim. and the present
award Is evidently on the same line.
Was Found to Go Against Us.
In order to avoid misapprehension II
! should be understood that the finding
against this government is no surprise.
that being certainty under the finding
Of the Paris court Of arbitration that
I the United States had no right to close
BehiinG sea against foreign ships. The
International commissions only duty
was To assess the amount OF the dam
ages. The amount allowed Is consid-
I cred To some extent a vindication OF
the state department which had sought
/ to settle the question without a COM
mission for $4,000. The award now
I made exceeds this sum considerably.
and besides this there will be the ex-
pense OF the arbitration. The contro-
versy has been occupying the attention
of the authorities here and in London
for the last eleven years. At the out
| set the tone Of controversy was very
belligerent. suggesting a possible resort
20 arms. This was following the seizure
| by the United States steamer Corwin
OF the British sealers Oarolena and
| Thornton on Aug. l, 1856. The facts of
the seizure were not known until some
time later. and in the meantime the
Corwin had taken the Onward and Fa-
vourite. The same policy Of seizure and
confiscation occurred during the next
sealing seasons. despite the protests of
! Great Britain.