The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-08-04
TO Be SETTLED
BY ARBITRATION
CLAIMS OF BRITTsHERs FOR DAM
AGES TO BE HEARD BY
TRIBUNAL.
(From Wednesdays Advertiser.)

(From Wednesdays Advertiser.)
The United States and Great Britain
have at list agreed 1pon the appoint
ment of commission to settle the
claims of "certain British subjects
arrested for completely in the insur.
reetion of 1895 in the Hawaiian Is.
lands" according to news received
from Washington yesterday.
An agreement providing for the ap-
pointment of a tribunal which will
meet in Washington was signed on July
10, by Secretary of State Knox, for
the United States, and Ambassador
James Bryce for the British govern
ment, 1t has been approved by Presi-
dent Taft.
The tribunal will be composed of
three persons, one appointed by each
country and the third to be selected by
the other two or, sho1ld they fail to
agree, the umpire can be chosen from
the general list of the Permanent Court
of Arbitration of The Hague.
Twelve Claimants.
Originally there were twelve
claimants whose cases were taken
up on August 26, 1895, by
A. G. s. Halves, British Commits
sioner and consul general, with
the republic, namely, j. B. JOhnstone,
Charles j.. Dunwell, James Brown,
Lewis J, Levey, M. @. Bailey, F. H.
Redward, Thomas w. Rawlins, Arthur
McDoWall F. Harrison, C, w. Ashford,
C. Carson Kenyon and Edward B,
Thomas. Since then the claims of
Messrs, w, F, Reynolds, V, V. Ashford,
Hardman, Wrathall and Cadenhead
have been added. Some of these are
dead. -s--7
Damages were asked for arrests on
suspicion of completely in the revolu-
tion; more or less prolonged detention
in prison; some severity of treatment
while so detained; and inducement by
undue pressure to leave the country. "
In the case of J. B. Johnstone, the
British Government stated that there
was no ground for protest or claim, Mr.
Hawes stating that Johnstone made a
confession to him at the time of his
deportation that he could not face a
trial this being considered practically
tantamount to an admission of guilt
on his part.
Diplomatic Correspondence.
Francis M. Hatch, who was minister
of foreign affairs at the time, wrote
under date August 2S, 1895, that "the
matter will receive the immediate at
tention of this government. The
name of w. f. Reynolds was later add
ed to the list of claimants, he stating
that his incarceration was simply afro
cious. He declared he had not been
guilty of any one act that could be,
by the widest stretch of imagination,
considered reasonable. Volney V.
Ashford also put in a claim.
The matter dragged along and w. ].
Kenny succeeded Mr.. Hawes as British
consul, while Henry E. Cooper became
minister of foreign affairs. On Feb
ruary l, 1898, the latter wrote Mr..
Kenny stating that the Hawaiian re-
public was unable to admit that any
of the claimants, save Charles r. Dun
well, were entitled to compensation.
The Legislature authorized the payment
of six hundred and twenty-five pounds
sterling to Dunwell in May of the same
year The republican government ad-
mitted he was subjected to unnecessary
punishment, but as to the Others it did
not admit that they were subjected to
punishment at all.
Arbitrator Suggested.
The British Government maintained
the fairness and equity of its demands
regarding the other persons. While
noting with satisfaction that the
Government of Hawaii admitted the
justice of Dunwell's claim it proposed
that the other claims be referred 10 the
arbitrament of an independent iurist
of high standing. If the two govern.
ments could not agree on such a per
son II was proposed that the King of
Norway and Sweden or the President
of the Swiss Confederation should
select the iurst.
In reply Minister Henry r. Cooper
wrote that while the Hawaiian Govern.
ment considered this proposal an evi.
dence Of the friendly feeling Of Great
Britain, II did not consider II had the
authority to act IN the premises ia
Yiew of the contamination OF the an.
neraiion Of this country 10 the United
States. The letter was dated July Is.
1899 -
Aftor annexation tho matter Of the
claims was taken up with Washington
ana % last u looks a6 n the snkfect
Ia la a fair tut - ~ I.sf.... nl....a