The San Francisco call., 1897-12-21
ARBITRATION
OF THE BERINC
SEA CLAIMS
w Ork Of Commission
ers Of This Country
and Canada.
Now the Indemnity to Be
Paid Is Much Larger
Than Expected.
Awards Increased From $425,
900 to Almost a Million
Dollars.
CLAIMS NOT ALLOWED
Report OF Justices Putnam and King
Will Be Great Step in Interna-
tionaI Arbitration
Special Dispatch to The Call.

BOSTON, Dec. 20.-After a week of
conferences in Boston Justices Put
nam and King, the Commissioners for
the United States and Canada, re-
spectively, in the arbitration of the
Bering Sea claims, have completed
their work for the present, and it is
understood will soon begin the prep
aration of their reports to their re-
spective Governments
The Bering Sea claims which it was
proposed to settle for S425, 900 by Pres
ident Cleveland, have now aggregated
more than 100000, with interest for
ten years. That the amount of indem-
nifty paid by the United States to
Great Britain will be much larger
than was at first expected is apparent
from the evidence already submitted
While some of the claims will be dis
allowed, the total is likely to be
nearly, if not quite, mil
lion dollars, if the sum asked
is allowed by the Commissioners.
1t is not possible to state at this
| time what claims have been ruled out,
or whether or not it will be necessary
to refer any of the claims to the ar
! b1tration of d third Commissioner, who
is to be appointed by the President of
Switzerland in case such an appoint
ment is found necessary, but it may
be stated in general way that the
| conferences of the Commissioners
have been of the most satisfactory
| character and are likely to result in
| another victory for international ar
| bitration.
In one respect it may be said that
! the present arbitration has been with
| out a parallel. This is the first inter
national arbitration where the proofs
have been taken orally, as in a court
| of justice. This method of procedure
! has been found a most satisfactory
one, and is likely to be followed in fu-
| ture cases of a similar nature. The
| taking of proofs occupied a period OF
nearly three months, and by the
method of questioning it was
found possible to arrive at far bet
| ter understanding of the facts than by
taking depOsitions. The Commission
! ers in the case have been holding
! daily sessions from 9 to o'clock in the
| library of the Bar Association of the
city of Boston in the Federal build
ing. They have gone over the disput-
ed claims step by step, reviewing the
| evidence as in the case of a law court.
| 1t is understood that an agreement as
! to the amount of the indemnity claim
ed has been reached in all but a few
cases, and these are likely to be settled
without the appointment of the UNI
pire provided for in the convention.
The claim was made in Congress that
all the cases had not been properly in
! vesigated at the time President
! Cleveland wished to make a settle
ment, and that the amounts in some
of these cases were large and includ-
ed awards to Americans who were
part owners OF sealing vessels. This
has been the source of greatest diff
Guilty in determining the award, but
investigation has shown that the in
demnity will be in most cases more,
rather than less, than was proposed
in the settlement proceedings.
Another informal conference of the
Commissioners may be necessary be-
fore the reports of the two Govern
ments are made, but it is expected
that q satisfactory adjustment of all
the claims will be reported. The
amount awarded to Great Britain will
be paid within six months of the time
when final decision is reached, wheth-
er it is made by the two Commission
erS or by a number.