Year: 1871

WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE following is the
full and complete text of the Treaty of Wash
ington, which has just been signed by the Joint
High Commission Of the United States and
Great Britain, and which was yesterday submit
ted to the extra session of the Senate. Portions
of the document have been recently published,
but in disconnected and imperfect form:-


Article 1. Whereas differences have arisen
betw cen the Government of the United States
and the Government OF her Britannia Majesty,
and still exist, growing out OF the acts commit
ted by the several vessels which have given rise
to the claims generally known as the Alabama
claims; and whereas her Britannia Majesty
has authorized her High Commissioners
and pleni potentiaries to express in a friendly
spirit the regret felt by her Majesty's Government
for the escape, under whatever circumstances,
of the Alabama and other vessels from British
ports, and for the depredations committed by
those vessels. Now in order to remove and ad-
just all complaints and claims on the part of the
United States, and to provide for speedy set
tlement of such claims which are not admitted
by her Britannia Majesty's Government the
high contracting parties agree that all the said
claims growing out of the acts committed by
the aforesaid vessels and generally known as
the Alabama claims shall be referred to
a tribunal of arbitration, to be composed of five
arbitrators to be appointed in the following
manner. that is to say:-The fret shall be named
by the President of the United States one shall
be named by her Britannia Majesty; his Majesty
the King of Italy shall be requested to name
one the President of the Swiss Confederation
shall be requested TO name one; and his Majesty
the Emperor of Brazil shall be requested to
name one. In case of death, absence, or inca
pacty to serve of either of the said arbitrators,
or in the event of either of the said arbitrators
emitting or declining or ceasing to act as such
the President of the United States, or her British
Majesty, or his Majesty the King of Italy or
the President of the Swiss Confederation, or his
Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, as the case may
be, may forthwith name another person to act
arbitrator in the place and stead of the
arbitrator originally named by such head OF
State, and in the event of refusal or omission
for two months after the receipt of the refusal
from either of the high contracting parties, OF
his Majesty the King of Italy, or the President
of the Swiss Confederation, or his Maj jesty the
Emperor of Brazil, to name an arbitrator either
to fill the original appointment, or in place
of one who may have died, be
absent incapacitated, or who may omit, decline,
or from any cause cease to act as such arbitra-
tor, his Majesty the King OF Sweden and Nor
way shall be requested to name one or more
persons as the case may be, to act as such arbi-
traitors.


Article 2. The arbitrators shall meet al
Geneva, in Switzerland, at the earliest day con.
venient after they shall have been named, aud
shall proceed impartially and carefully to eX-
anime and decide all questions that shall be laid
before them on the part of the Governments
of the United States and her Britannia Majesty
respectively. All questions considered by the
tribunal including the final award, shall be
decided by a majority of all the arbitrators
Each OF all OF the high contracting parties shall
also name one person to attend the tribunal az
its agent 10 represent IT generally in all matters
connected with the arbitration.


Article 3. The written or printed case of each
of the two parties, accompanied by the docu
ments the official correspondence, and othel
evidence on which each relies, shall be delivered
in duplicate to each of the arbitrators and t
the agent of the other party as soon as may b,
n4ta Nhn ov.A Na.Nw. % Nhn
within period not exceeding six months from
the date of the exchange of the ratification o
the treaty.


Article 4. Within four months after the de
livery on both sides of the written or printet
case, either party may, in like manner deliver il
duplicate to each of the other party counte
case and additional documents, correspondence
and evidence SO presented by the other party
The arbitrators may, however extend the tim
for delivering such counter case, documents
correspondence, and evidence when in thei
judgment it becomes necessary. In consequence
of the place from which the evidence to be pre-
sented is to be procured, If in the case sub
4. mitted any report or document in the exclusiv
possession of any party be omitted, such part
shall be bound, If the other party thinks prope
to apply for 1t, to furnish that party with
copy thereof, and either party may call upo
the other through the arbtrators, to pre-
duce the original or certified copie
of any papers adduced as evidence, giving
each instance such reasonable notice as th
arbltrators may require.


Article g. II shall be the duty of the agent {
each party within two months of the expiratio
of the time limited for the delivery of th
counter case on both sides, TO deliver in dupl
cate to each of the said arbitrators and to II
agent of the other party written or printe
argument, showing the points and referring
the evidence upon which his Government relie
and the arbitrators may, if they desire furtht
elucidation with regard to au
point, require written or printe
statement or argument or oral argument
counsel upon it, But in such case the 9th,
party shall be entitled to reply either orally
In writing, as the case may be.


Article 8. In deciding the matters submittt
10 the arbitTators they shall be governed by Il