Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-12-08

Inc recommendation mace III my
special message Of April 9th 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, 1896. by officers
of the United States District Court
for the Southern district of Missis-
sippi. The papers accompanying my
said message make out most merit
orious claim, and Justify the urgency
with which it has been presented by
the government Of Russia.
Malietoa Laupepa, King of Samoa,
died on August 22d, last. According
to article /. of the general act o.
Berlin, This successor shall be duly
elected according to the laws aud GUS
toms of Samoa. ~
Arrangements having been agreed
upon between the dignitaries of the
general act for the return of Mataafa
and the other eSiied Samoan chiefs,
they were brought from Jaluit by
German war vessel and landed at Apia
on September 18th, last.
Whether the death of Malietoa and
the return of his old-time rival Ma
taafa, will add to the undesirable COM
plications 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 har-
monious and exact fulflment of the
terms Of the international agreement
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 9Th, 1897 an award Of
FOG, 721 tieale (about 1887, 9S7.78) with
release of the Cheek estate from mort
gage claims, having been rendered
March 21st, 1898, in favor of the claim
ant by the arbitrator, Sir Nicholas
John Harmon, British Chief Justice
for China and Japan. ~
An envoy from Siam has been ac-
credited to this government and has
presented his credentials.
Immediately upon the outbreak OF
| the war with Spain the Swiss governs
ment, fulfilling the high nlissien it
| has deservedly assumed as the patron
Of the international Red Gross, pro-
posed to the United States and Spain
| that they should severally recognize
| and carry into execution, as modus
vivandi, during the continuance of
| hostilities, the additional articles pro-
posed by the International Conferences
Of Geneva, October goth, 1863, extend
| ing the efforts of the existing Red
| Cross convention of 1864 to the con-
duct of naval war. Following the ex-
ample set by France and Germany in
1870 in adopting such modus viyendi,
and in view OF the occasion OF the
United States to those additional
articles in 1882, although the exchanges
of notifications thereof still remain
| 1l 4bn Ami r,rnnncnle
promptly and cordially accepted by us,
and, simultaneously by Spain.
This government feels a keen salts
faction in having thus been enabled to
testify its adherence to the broadcast
principles of humanity even amidst the
clash Of war, and it is to be hoped that
the extension of the Red Cross compact
to hostilities by sea as we'll as on land
NAV soon become an accomplished fact
through the general PRONUNCIATION of
the additional naval Red Cross articles
by the maritime powers now parties to
the convention of 1864.
The important question of the claim
, of Switzerland to the perpetual cam
tonal allegiance of American citizens
/ of Swiss origin has not made hopeful
, progress toward solution, and con-
J troyersies in this regard still continus.
The newly accredited envoy Of thu
United States to the Ottoman Fore
J carries instructions looking to the
disposal of matters in controversy viii
: Turkey for q number of years. He is
/ especially charged to press for q just
: settlement of our claims for indemnity
, by reason of the destruction OF the
: property of American missionaries
i resident in that country during the
Armenian troubles of 1895, as well as
for the recognition of older claims oil
equal business. -af
q He is also instructed to seek an ad-
9 iustment of the dispute growing out oil
the refusal of Turkey to recognize the
4 aco,1ired citizenship of Ottoman born
Il persons naturalized in the United
Z States since 1869 without prior i'm,
! perial consent; and in the same genera
i, relation he is directed to endeavor u
4 bring about solution OF the question
), which has more or less acuteiy existee
: since 1869 concerning the lurisoictlona
II rights of the United States in matters
@ of criminal procedure and punishment
/ under article of the treaty of 1880
y The latter difficulty grows out OF
verbal difference, claimed by Turke,
n to be essential, between the orlglua
Turkish text and the promulgated
= translation.
N After more than two years from tn
it appointment of a consul of the countr,
IS to Erzeroum, he has received hi
d The arbitral tribunal appointed
under the treaty of February I'd, 1887
n between Great Britain and Venezuela
CT 10 determine the boundary line betwee
he the latter and the colony of Brltis
g Guiana, is to convene at Paris durin
ar the present month. 1t is a source G
~ much qualification to this goyernmen
nt to see the friendly resort OF arbitratlo
% applied to the settlement OF this con
troyersy, not alone because OF tn
n earnest part we have had in bringin
q, about the result, but also because tn
~ two members named on behalf
eo Venezuela, Mr.. Chief Justice Buile
le and MIR. Justice Brewer, chosen froI
n our highest court, appropriately testif
O. the continuing interest we feel IN tn
a. definitive adjustment of the questio
~ according to the strictest rules
ne Justice. The British members, Lor
ny Herschell and Sir Richard Collins, ar
iurists of no less exalted repute, viii
al the fifth members and president OF tn
D. tribunal, M. F. De Martens, hi
On learned worldwide reputation as
as authority upon international law.
IN The claim of Folipe Scandella again
eo Venezuela for arbitrary expulsion an
u iniury to his business has been az
Is iusted by the revocation of the ord'
so of expulsion and by the payment
al II