The San Francisco call., 1898-01-12
Claims Sealed Down by Arbi- tratOrs Seventy-five
 Per Gent.
BIG SUMS WERE ASKED.
America Achieved Diplomatic Triumph Owing to the Skill of
 It's Representatives
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office. Riggs House.

Washington, D. C., Jan. II.
 The State Department will transmit to Congress the report of the commits sion appointed to determine the amount of the award due to the Brit ish Government under the decision for the seizure of British sealing vessels in Bering Sea. The report will be ac- companied by letter from the Sec retary of State requesting an appro- priation to pa the judgment, which the honor of the Government is pledg- ed to promptly liquidate.
 Examination of the report of the commission will show that the criti- cisms which have been so recklesslv passed upon the results of the arbitra- tion of these claims are baseless, and that on the other hand this Govern ment has achieved distinct diplo- matic triumph, due chiefly to the abil- ity and high technical skill of it's rep resentatives before the commission. Messrs. Dickinson, Warren and Ian sing. The department has guarded With care the report of the commits sion since it was received from Bos- ton several weeks ago, but it's leading features were outlined with absolute accuracy in the dispatches when the report of the arbitration board was submitted. It will be seen at glance not only that Great Britain has been obliged to content herself with nom inal sum as compared with claims originally set up, but also the United States has reached very substantial advantage by submitting the question at issue to a commission for adjust ment rather than to have allowed the compromise amount which Congress was urged to accept in 1894. The claims laid before the commission by the British report amounted. with in- terest, to S,417,134. while the total award with interest, less credits due the United States. is only $330, ,3S0. In other words, Great Britain secures only 9 per cent of the total amount of her claim.
 An examination of the awards in de- tail shows some striking figures. In behalf of the Carolena a claim of s54- 066 was set up. which the commission reduced to S22, 362: for the Thornton. S61.435 was claimed but only s22, ,6S3 al- lowed. while the Onward's claim of s67.- 623 was cut down to SIS, ,715. The other claims and awards were as follows: Anna Beck claim SSO221 award $35- 05S; w. P. Sayward, claim s69.21a. award $20.262: Dolphin, claim S10J,3773, award s50,SS3; Grace. claim s97. .705. award $42.339: Adams, claim s35,SaO. award $16.362: Ada, claim. S94. .713, award s33. 7S2; Triumph, claim s31a2. award $2S2S: Juanita. claim S51 49i, award 17195; Pathfinder, claim s55. 134, award S20,641; Triumph II. claim $65. .132, award S23. .115: Black Diamond claim s66. .654. award s22, 701; Lily. claim. s54 ,S14. award $17,371; Ariel, claim $31. 719. award s7406; Kate. claim S35. .4GS. award $4563; Minnie. claim S64 ,237 award s12657: Pathfinder QS90), claim s5790, award $1170; Winnifred, claim $9146. award s4344: Henrietta. claim s29. BPS award S12.021: Oscar and Hattie, claim S15.5S1. award s2965
 In addition to these claims. the Brit ish representative demanded $29. .533 on behalf of the Wanderer. which was re- fused by the commission. In addition, the entire costs of the litigation over the seizure of the w. P Sayward. of which test case was made in the courts. amounting to SSS, ,258, were pre- scented as a separate claim, but were ruled out by the commission after be- ing stoutly contested by the American representatives. The personal claims presented amounted to $19S, ,66S. but these claims were cut down to S49. 475 It is a highly significant feature of this schedule that in no case has the com mission allowed more than one-half of the claims of Great Britain. and this fact is conclusive evidence of the sweeping character of the victory achieved by this government.