The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-28
DAMAGES AWARDED
British seal Fishers fur Seizure Of Their
Vessels by the United States Government.
The Decision Of the Commission Received
Mt the StaSo Denare~nme

British Seal Fishers fur Seizure Of Their
Vessels by the United States Government.
The Decision Of the Commission Received
at the state Department
Washington. December as.-The find
ings Of the British-American commits
sion. chosen to assess the damages for
seizure Of British ships in Behring sea.
been received by the state depart
ment and the British embassy. The
s~trictest reticence is maintained, how
ever. on the general character OF the
finding, though il IS admitted thai ths
total award against the United States
is 1854 600. which includes principal and
interest A separate statement OF the
award divided into principal and inter
est is refused at this time. In order 30
avoid misapprehenSion Il should be un-
derstood that the finding against this
government is no. surprise. that being
a certainty under the finding Of the
Paris court Of arbitration that the
United States had no right To close
Behring sea against foreign ships. The
international commissions only duty
60 ~ A--N@S b~2N NJ oA AiIt ai5lA-
ages. The amount allowed Is consid-
cred TO some extent a ~vindication
OF the state department.. which had
sought to settle the question without n
commission for $3.50 0. The award
now made exceeds this sum conSidera-
bly, and besides this there will bee the
expense of the arbitration and also the
possible establishment Of some unfor-
tunate precedent as to the obligaticn
OF the United States TO pay estimaiA III
ar prospective damages.
The controversy has occupied the at
tention OF the authorities here and in
London for h last eleven years. At
the outset the tone OF controversy was
very befligerent, suggesting a possible
resort to arms. This was following the
seizure by the United States teamer
Corwin. Of the British sealers Carolina
and Thornton, on August 1st. 1856. The
fac of the seizure were not known
until some time later and in the mean
time the Corwin had taken the Onward
and the Favourite.
The same policy OF seizure and con
fiScation occurred during the next seal
ing season. despite the protests of
Great Britain. the United States ship
Richard Rush taking the Sayward.
Grace, Anna Beck. Dolphin. Alfred
<tIdIIS- IIluiilpl. ullldld 1dliIillutI.
Black Diamond, Lily, Ariel, Kate, and
Minnie while the United States cutter
Bear took the Ada
The claims for the. seizure too a wide
range, beginning With the value OF YES
sells and outfits and including not only
the value of seal skins c~OnfiSCated, but
also the value Of the skins whicn might
have been taken if the ships had not
been seized. This last feature Of pros
pective damage caused the main con-
tentiOn. In the case of the each British
ship, the largest item was so estimated
on the future catch. For instance. in
the case of the Carolina, the claim for
the ship was only 81, 200, while that for
skins which might have been taken
that year if she had not been seized,
was $16,66.. Each ship estimated a
prospective catch of from $500 to 5000
skins. th6 value being from $3.50 per
skin in 1887 and STEPS in 1889. The total
of the claims, without interest
ed to $439, 161 and with interest at Z per
cent. and other charges the total reach
ed S786, 166.
The only official statement that could
be secured here of the judgment reach
ed by the commissioners is contained
in the following announcement given
out at the state department this after
The award of the Behring sea claims
commission has been filed in the de-
partment of state. The claims as pre-
scented by the British government to
he commission on account Of Canadian
seized in Bchring sea aggrega-
ted with interest, 81, 500, 900. These in
under the claims treaty, several
cases not embraced in the settlement
proposed by Secretary Gresham. The
now made amounts to 1929 191 81,
to which is to be added interest which
will increase the total about so per
The award is final and disposes
of all cases before it. Payment under
the treaty must be made within six
months"