Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-12-30

Findings of the Commission,
Reach State Department.
TOTAL NEARLY HALF A MlLLloN
Damages for Prospective '"''"
Not Acknowledgements VIII
BE Asked to Pay 1t.

DAMAGES for Prospective N"''"
Not Allowed-Congress VIII
BE Asked to Pay 1t.
Washington. Dec 27.-The findings
Of the British Amercan commission
chosen TO assess the damages for selz'
ures OF British ships in Behrlng sea
have been received by the state depart
ment and the British embassy. Inc
strictest reticence is maintained, now
ever, on the general character Oh ll'e
findings, though it is admitted the to'al
award against the United States is 4o4'-
600. which includes principal ana IN
! tcrest. The finding against TINS gov
eminent is no surprise.
The controversy has occupied the at
tention of the authorities here ana IN
London for the last IL years. AT the
outset the tone of the controversy was
beligercnt, suggesting a possible re-
sort to arms. This was following the
seizure. bv the United States steamer
/ Corwin. of the British sealers Carollna
and Thornton, on August l, 1856. Inc
/ 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 poiicy
of seizure and conliscation occurred
during the next sealing season, despite
the protests Of Great Britain, the
United States steamer Rush taking the
Eavward, 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
wide range, beginning with the value
OF the vessels and outfits, and includ-
ing not only the value of sealsEins CON
fscated. but also the skins which
might have been taken if the ships had
not been seized. This last feature OF
pros pectiye damage caused the main
contention. In the case of each Brit
sh 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 prospective catch OF from
$500 to 5000 skins, the value being
from S. so per skin in 1887 to Sl2 25
in 1889. The total OF the claims,
without interest, amounted to $439,-
l6l, and with interest at s per cent
and other charges, the total reached
1856, 1856.
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,
$1,000, coo. These included several
cases not embraced in the settlement
proposed by Secretary Gresham. The
award now made amounts to S294,.
1871, to which will increase the total
about 80 per cent. The award is final,
and dsposes of all cases before it. Pay.
ment under the treaty must be made
within six months
The departmental officials, it is as.
sumed, will proceed at once to prepare
bill or an amendment to one of the
appropriation bills for submission to
congress, covering the necessary appro.
priation to pay. the judgments, for, be-
ing bound by treaty not only to pay
any judgments rendered. but to pay
them promptly. the government is in
honor bound TO take the remaining
steps toward 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. OF
rejected entirely. While the depart.
ment officials will make no definite an.
nouncement to this effect, ntimatious
are gwen that the smalness of the
award precludes the disability of any
allowance having been made on account
OF prospective damages. The Ameri.
can claims commissions established the
precedent that no prospective damages
could be included III claim. and the
present award is evidently on the same
line.
General J. W. Foster. who is now in
general charge of Behrng sea affairs.
said tonight. as to the award, that he
was not surprised at the result. Presi.
dent Cleveland having officially de.
clared that $425,0 was Just and
equitable sum in settlement. and hay-
ing appointed as the American commits
sioner to adjudicate the claims a close
personal and political friend, 1t could
hardly be expected that the latter
would strenuously contend for an
award Of less amount Mr.. Foster
was absent from the country in japan
when congress took action on Presi.
dent Cleveland's recommendation, but
he regarded the commission as the
proper method of reaching a settle
ment, and the only one which would
satisfy the country.
! Slain by Congo Natives.