The morning news., 1898-12-06

for which the commissi 5nsrs recommend
cd an International dam and reservoir.
approved by Mexico. but sill under con-
sideration by this government. Pending
these questions. it is necessary 10 extend
he life Of the commission which expires
Dec. % next.
The coronation of the young Queen of
the Netherlands was made the occasion
of fitting congra lulations.
The McCOrd Claim.
The claim of Victor H. McCord against
Peru. which for a number of years has
been pressed by this government and on
several occasions attracted the attention
OF the Congress. has been satisfactorily
adjusted. A protocol was signed May II,
sos. whereby the fact of liability beng
admitted, the question of the amount to
be awarded was submitted to the chief
justice of Canada as sole arbitrator. His
award sets the indemnity due the claim
ant at $4,000. The government of Peru
oas given the prescribed notification of its
intention to ahrogate the treaty of friend
ship, commerce and navigation concluded
with this country Aug. 81, 1887. As that
treaty contains many important provisions
necessary to the maintenance OF COM
merce and good rela ions which could with
difficulty be replaced by the negotiation
of renewed provisions within the orief
twelve months intervening before the
treaty terminates, I have invited sugges-
tions by Peru as 20 the particular pro-
visions it is desired to annul, in the hope
Of reaching an agreement whereby the
remaining articles may be Professionally
saved.
Ills majesty, the Czar, having announc-
ed his purpose to raise the imperial Rus
sian mission at this capital to the rank
Of an embassy, 1 responded under the au-
| E H. nf <
1893. by comm issioning and accredit ng the
actual representative at ST Petersburg in
the capacity of amba extraordinary
and penipotentiary. The Russian amoas-
.ador to this country has since presented
mis- credentials.
The Czar's Pence Proposals.
= The proposal of the Car for general
| reduction of the vast military establish
! nents that weigh so heavily upon many
people in time of peace. was commun-
ated to this government with an earnest
| .nvitation 10 be represented in the confer
! ence which 1t is contemplated to assemble
with a view 10 discussing the means of
| accomplishing so desirable a result. His
| majesty was at once informed of the cor
| 3 al sympathy of this government with
! The principle involved, in his exa ted pro-
| 1osal aud of he readiness of the United
states to take part in the conference. The
active IN Etary force of the United States,
| as measured by our population, territorial
| area and taxable wealth, is, and under
| any conceivable prospective conditions,
! must continue to be, in time OF peace so
| conspicuously less than that of the arm
! ed Powers TO whom the Cars appeal Is
especially addressed. that the question can
/ have for us no especial importance save
is MAJ king an au.pi~lous step toward the
bettefment of the condition of the modern
neop!es and the cultivation of peace and
rood vii. among them; but in this view.
! il hehooves us as a nation to lend coun-
! tenance and aid 10 the beneficent project.
The claims of owners of American seal
| ng vessels for seizure by Russian cruis-
! ers in Bering sea are being pressed to A
| settlement the equities of the cases justify
| the expectation that a measure of repara-
! ZION will eventually be accorded in har-
mony with precedent and in the light of
! the proven facts.
The recommendation made in my special
| message of April 27 last is renewed that
| appropriation be made to reimburse the
master and owners of the Russian bark
| Hans for wrongful arrest of the master
and detention Of the vessel in February,
| iS96, by officers of the United
| States District Court for the Southern
district of Mississippi The papers accom-
! panying my said message make out a
most meritorious claim and justify the ur-
sency with which it has been presented
by the government of Russia.
Samoan Affairs.
Malietoa Laupepa. King of Samoa. died
on Aug. p last According to Article l,
of the general act of Berlin his successor
shall be duly elected according to the
| laws and customs of Samoa"
Arrangements having been agreed upon
| by the signatories of the general act for
the return of Mataafa and the other exi.ei
Samoan chiefs, they were brought from
Jalslt by q German war vessel and land
ed at Apia on Sept Is last.
Whether the death of Ma,ietoa and the
return of his old time rival Mataafa will
add to the und, srabe comp ications which
the execution of the tripartite general act
has heretofore developed remains to be
seen. The efforts of this government will,
| as heretofore, be addressed toward
harmonious and exact fulilment of the
terms of the interna tional engagement to
which the United States became a party
in 1889.
The Cheek claim against Siam, after
| some five years of controversy has been
adjusted by arbitration under an agree
| ment signed July 6. 1897. an award Of $751;
| 9S77S, with release of the Cheek estate
from mortgage claims, having been rem
| deTed March q, 1893, in favor Of the claim
ant by the arbitrator, Sir Nicholas John
Hannen, British chief justice for China
| and Japan.
An envoy from Siam has been accredited
10 this government and has presented his
| credentials.
Humanity in the War.
Immediately upon the outbreak of the
war with Spain the Swiss government full
filing the high mission il has deservedly
| assumed as the patron of the
| internal Red Cross proposed
| 10 the United States and Spain that they
should severaLy recognize and carry into
| execution during the continuation of hos
ulites, the additional articles proposed by
the international conference of Geneva,
Oct. TO- 1868. extending the effects of the
existing Red Cross convention of 1864 to
the conduct OF a naval war. Following
the example set by France and Germany
in 1870 in adopting such modus vivendi
and in view of the accession of the United
| States to those additional articles In 1880