Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-12-28
THE COMMISSIONS
Made Known to the State De-
partment.
END OF A LONG CONTROVERSY
The Award is Final, and Disposes of all
Gases Before the COmmission-The
Award Nearly Half IA Million.

w dClllIlSlOny WV 80 800
of the British-American commission
chosen to assess the damages for seiz-
ures of British ships in Behring sea
have been received by the state depart
ment and the British embassy. The
strictest reticence is maintained, how
ever, on the general character of the
findings, though it is admitted the total
award against the United States is 1884,
900, which includes principal and in
terest. The finding against this gov
eminent is no surprise.
The controversy has occupied the at
tention of the authorities here and in
London for the last II years. AT the
outset the tone of the controversy was
belligerent, suggesting a possible re-
sort to arms. This was following the
seizure, by the United States steamer
Corwin, of the British sealers Carolina
and Thornton, on August |, 1886. The
facts of the seizure were not known
until some time later, and in the mean
time, the Corwin had taken the On
ward and Favourite. The same policy
of seizure and confiscation occurred
during the next sealing season, despite
the protests of Great Britain, the
United States steamer Rush taking the
Sayward, Grace, Anna Pack, Dolphin,
Alfred Adams, Triumph, Junita, Path
finder, Black Diamond, Lilly, Arctic
and Kate and Minnie, and the cutter
Bear taking the Ada.
The claims for these seizures took a
wide range, beginning with the value
OF the vessels and outfits, and includ-
ing not only the value of sealskins con
tiscated, but also the skins which
might have been taken if the ships had
not been seized. This last feature of
prospective damage caused the main
contention. In the case of each Brit
ish ship, the largest item of the claim
was for estimated future catch. For
instance, in the case of the Carolina,
the claim for the ship was only 81, 600,
while that for skins which might have
been taken that year if she had not
been seized was $l6, 667. Each ship
estimated a prospective catch of from
$500 to 5000 skins, the value being
from So. 80 per skin in 1887 to Sl2.25
in 1889. The total of the claims,
without interest, amounted to $780,
l6l, n with interest at 8 per cent
and other charges, the total reached
1856, 1876.
The only official statement that
could be secured here of the judgment
reached by the commissioners is con
tanned in the following announcement
given out at the state department:
The award of the Behring sea
claims commission has been filed in
the department. The claims as pre-
sented by the British government on
account OF British vessels seized in
Behring sea, aggregated, with interest,
81, 900, 600. These included several
cases not embraced in the settlement
proposed by Secretary Gresham. The
award now made amounts to $780,
1871, to which will increase the total
about 90 per cent. The award is final,
and dlsposes of all cases before it. Pay
ment under the treaty must be made
within six months"
The departmental officials, it is as
sumed, VIII proceed at once to prepare
a bill or an amendment to one of the
appropriation bills for submission to
congress, covering the necessary appro-
prlatlon to pay the judgments, for, be-
ing bound by treaty not only to paw
any Judgments rendered, but to paw
them promptly, the government is i'm
honor bound TO take the remaining
steps toward "a settlement in short or
der.
There appears to be little doubt that
the United States carried its point on
the question involved, as the prospec-
tive damages We're evidently scaled
down to an insignificant amount, or
rejected entirely. While the DEPART.
ment officials will make no definite an
nouncement to this effect, intimations
are given that the smallness of the
award precludes the possibility of any
allowance having been made on account
OF prospective damages. The Amer.
can claims commissions established the
precedent that no prospective damages
could be included in a claim, and the
present award is evidently on the same
line.
General j. W. Foster. who is now in
general charge of Behring sea affairs;
SAID tonight, as to the award, that he
was not surprised at the result. Presi.
lent Cleveland having officially de.
clared that $685. 900 was a inst and
equitable sum in settlement, and hav.
ing appointed as the American commits.
sloner to %adjudicate the claims A close
personal and political friend. 1t could
hardly be expected that the latter
would s~trenuously contend for an
award of a less amount. Mr.. Foster
was absent from the country in Japan
when CONGRESS took nctinn ~.