The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-24
SEALING BILLS 70 Be Paid
ErT CANADIANS NOT ENTITLED TO
PROSPECTIVE DAMAGES.
Precedent Established In Aiasama
Case Applies 10 seized schooner
Aware by the Commission -
Nearly Half Million Dollars.

WASHINGTON, Zee. zs-The fndtnTs
Of the British~Amerseas conaH1isss'h'
chosen 20 assess shs damages iof skf1Afts
al British ships in BerInE sea, nave Gee u
received BY the state department. ana ihs
British embassy. Tbe strieiess resaess'e7
IL maintained. however. on the sshef ~
character OF the findings. though il Is
admitted the fetal award against the
United States Ia ssA.oJo. which in<1u1es
f,rtuffpsI and interest The finding against
this government IL 10 surprise
The controversy baS occupied tie stfen-
ton IT the authorities here ard IN Lonaoh
for the last elsysn years- At the outset
Inc tone Of the controversy Was very Del
ugereus suggesting a possible resort 70
arms ThsA was following the seizure ~
tina United States revenae cutter Corwia
Of the British seaIers CaTolisa anG Iaofa-
ton. on August /. IssS. Ths facts OF the
seizure were not known until some time
later. ard in the meantime the Corwia hsd
taken the Onward and Fayerfte.
The same policy of seizure and confisea-
tion occurred during the next sealing sea-
son. despite the protests of Great Britain,
the L. q. g. Richard Rush taking the Sew
srd, Grace. Anna Pack. Dolphin. Alfred
Adams Triumph. Juanitas Pathfinder.
Black Diamond. Lilly. Arctic. Kate and
Minnie. while the u. 8. cutter Bear took
the Ada
The claims for these seizures took
wide range beginning with the value OF
the vessels and outfits and Including not
only the value % sealsttns confscated.
but also the value Of skins which might
have been taken IL the ships had not been
seized.
This last feature OF prospective damage
caused the main contention. In the case
OF each British ship the largest item Of
~ laf~ o., sc4 fn+sx oh
For Instance, In the case OF the Carolina
the claim for the ship was only 81 coo
while that for skins which might have
been taken that year II she had not been
seized was sisssf. Each ship estimated
q prospective catch Of from 1880 TO 5000
skins. tho value being from 81 20 per skin
in fss7 to Sc IS IN 1883. The total OF the
claims without interest amounted TO 1856.
III. and with interest at Z per cent and
other charges sne total r-schsd s7Ss 1856.
The only official statement that could
be secured here Of the Judgment reached
by the commissioners is contained in the
following announcement given out at the
state department this afternoon:
Tho award Of the Bsring sea claims
commission has been filed in the depart
ment OF state. The elaisns as presented
by the British government To the commits
rion On account of Canadian vessels seized
In the Boring sea. aggregated. with inter-
est. ti.saooo. These included several
cases not embraced In the settlement pro-
posed by Secretary Gresham. The award
now made amounts 10 s2ei Of. to which
IS 20 be added interest, which will Increase
the total about 70 per cent. The award
Is final. ard disposes OF all cases before
IL. Payment under the treaty must be
made within six months"
The department officials, II Is assumed.
viii proceed at once to prepare bill. as
an amendment TO one OF the regular APP
preparation bills. for submission to con-
srtss. covering the necessary approprla-
lion to pay the judgments for. being
bound by treaty not only ia pay any iudg-
ments rendered. but to pay them prompt
~. the government Is In honor hound TO
take the remaining steps toward :, settle
ment in short order.
There appears 10 hs little doubt that the
United States carried It's point on the main
questions involved viz. as to the right OF
prospective damages. which evidently are
scaled down TO an insignificant amount or
rejected entirely. While the department
officials win make no definite announce
ment 10 this effect. limitations are given
that the smailness OF the award precluieg
the possibility OF any allowance having
been made on account OF prospective dam
ages. The Alabama claims commission es-
tabIishea the preceden, that remote dam
ages ,souId not be Included in claim. and
the present award is evidently on the 81 me
the.
Gen. J. ". Foster. who Is now In general
charge of Bering sea affairs. said tonight
as ia the award that he was not SURPRISED
gt the result. President Cleveland hay
ing officially declared that st25 C.y9 WAS d
just and equitable sum In settlement and
therefore having appointed as the Amerl-
can commissioner 70 adiudieaie the claims
close personal and political friend II
could hardly be expected that the latter
would strenuousiy contend for are award
Of a less amount. Mr.. Foster WAS absent
from the country IN japan when congress
took action on President Ctevelansi's rec
ommendation. bat he regarded the COM
mission "a the proper method of
reaching settlement. aud the only one
which woula satisfy the country Not
understanding the seizures. which gave rise
90 the award, were Initiated under Dem
ocrstic administration President MckIr-
ley. he thought. would doubtless rerosll-
mend congress IN provide fer the pay
mont; ard he hoped and felt sure that
congress would make the necessary aputa-
psiation to discharge the treaty otllss1-
tiona. and the canaiians receive inter
est up TO date en their deferred elains.
the result should BE accepted on both
sides in good spirit.
Canadians Not Satisfied
VICTORIA. Il e. Dec. - The Seaiers
are dissatisfied With the awav8 = fhe ar
tltEat9rs Of slss eft Tia. least tAey ex-
pected VAS s$ga5a With interest
london Times II Pleased
LONDON Dec. st~~The Times IN an
editorial shis morning. espresso Fati~far-
tioa az the BeriHe sea settlement. whicg
II anticipates congress viii not .A1tct "a.
and takes occasion 10 protest aEasns; me
loose destinations ~ had falfh On ne
pare of tire United States gas ernYrent.
which have seen thoDwe,lsSs}y aH3 t,u-
Jdsttaabiy made In England "a II vo.ass
eet that there could Dc 10 question 90 Aaa
faith, because 10 agreement hsd hitherto
been agreed aRoR a. - the amount O.