The record-union., 1897-12-24

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-The find
inss Of the British-American Comms-
sion chosen to assess the damages Tor
seizures of British ships in Behrlng
Sea. have been received by the State
Department and the British Embassy.
The strictest reticence is maintained,
however, on the general character OF
the finding. though it is admitted that
the total award against the United
States is S464, 600, which includes prin-
cipal and interest.
The controversy has occupied the at
tention of the authorities here and in
London for the last eleven years. AT
the outset the tone of the controversy
was very belligerent, suggesting pos
sible resort to arms. This was foIloW-
ing the seizure by the United States
steamer Corwin of the British sealers
Carolina and Thornton, on August /,
1856. The facts of the seizure We're not
known until some time later, and in
the meantime the Corwin had taken
the Onward and Favorite. The same
policy was pursued during the next
sealing seasons, despite the protests OF
Great Britain.
The claims for these seizures took a
wide range, beginning with the value
of the vessels and outfits, and including
not only the value of the sealskins con-
fiscated, but also the value of skins
which might have been taken If the
ships had not been seized.
The last feature of the prospective
damage caused the main contention.
In the case of each British ship the
longest item of the claim was for the
estimated future catch. For instance,
in the case of the Carolina, the claim
for the ship was only $4,000, While that
for the skins which might have been
taken that year if she had not been
seized was SIC, ,667. Each ship estimated
a prospective catch of from 5000 to
5000 skins. the value being about S3 Do
per skin in 1887, TO S12 % in 1889. The
total Of the claims without interest
amounted TO $439, 161, and with inter
est at S per cent. and other charges
the total reached S1S6, 166.
The Only statement that could be Sc
cured here of the judgment reached
by the commissioners is contained in
the following announcement given out
at the State Department this afternoon.
THE award of the Behring Sea
the Department of State. The claims
as presented by the British Govern
ment to the commission on account of
Canadian vessels seized in the Behring
Sea aggregated with interest 1000,
600 These included, under the claim
treaty, several cases not embraced in
the settlement proposed by Secretary
Gresham. The award now made
S-.N I - s.1 -.
be added interest, which VIII increase
the total about 10 per cent. The award
is final, and disposes of all cases before
it. Payment under the treaty must
be made within six months.
The departmental officials, it is as
sumcd, will proceed at once to prepare
a bill or an amendment to one of the
regular appropriation bills, for sub
mission to Congress covering the neces-
sary appropriation to pay the judg-
ments rendered, but TO pay them
promptly the Government Is in honor
bound to take the remaining steps to-
ward a settlement in short order.
Th@I'e appears to be little doubt that
the United States carried its point on
the main question involved, VIZ: AS to
the right Of prospective damages, which
evidently are scaled down to an insig-
nificant amount or rejected entirely.
While the Department of State wiD
make no definite announcement to this
effect. intimations are given that the
small1ess of the award precludes the
possibility ofany allowance having been
made on account of prospective dam
ages. The Alabama Claims Commits
sion established the precedent that re-
mote damages could not be included in
a claim, and the present award is evil
IDENTIFY on the same line.
General John w. Foster, who is now
in general charge of Behring Sea af-
fairs, said tonight as to the award
that he was not surprised at the re-
suit President Cleveland having Off
cially declared that S425o00 was a
just anu equitable sum in settlement.
and therefore having appointed as the
American commissioner TO adiudicate
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