Year: 1871




Circles-NO Further Trouble Anticipated.


The government Is out OF town, and consequently
the case OF the Horton excites less interest than II
the President and Secretary OF State were here No
demand OF any kind has yet been made by the Brit
ish government Indeed, It is impossible that any
demand can be made at present Sir Edward Thorn
ton, the British Minister ana Hon. Francis Paken-
ham, the Charge d'Araires, being both away. Eut
were they here and was the case believed to be OF
sulcient gravity for International inquiry consid-
cradle time would necessarily elapse before it could
be brought to Cabinet consideration, owing to the
circuit0us route II would travel in being trans.
mitled through the circumOcution onices OF
the two governments until the question be-
comes one OF diplomatic action, n it ever reaches
the dignity Of correspondence through the State
Department Nobody seems disposed TO borrow
trouble on account OF It, In official and semi
ofcal circles the seizure OF the schooner is gene
rally regarded as piece Of unnecessary and use-
less bravado. The fact that the act was entirely OF
private nature, and the offence, II offence was
committed, sin Of individuals which the govern
ment had not counselled and with which it could
have no sympathy, are particularly remarked upon
as the two points most likely TO smother the whole
question or to make 1t only tempest In tea
pot But it Is admitted at the same time that
the hasty action or the owner OF the vessel
and the men who did his bidding may lead
to demand for explanation and perhaps for
apology. The vessel had been seized for
alleged violation OF law, and the violence which
carried her from out of the Jurisdiction OF the
| court whose mandates she was perhaps bound
to obey. may require some reparation to In.
jured dignity and authority Before any repa-
ration OF any kind. even the customary regrets
and apologies which are very easily made In
cases OF this nature, would become possible the
question wonld first arise whether the schooner had
been rightfuy seized by the Dominion authorities,
or with such color OF right as TO make the alleged
violation OF law 1T subject for judicial action.
This being answered TO the satisfaction Of our
government and In way to show that the first
seizure was not more unwarrantable than the
second, there would at least he chance for
settlement the bass Of good will and humble pie,


In this connection the case OF the Florida during
the late war Is regarded, in some degree, as pre-
cedent. 1t VIII be remembered that In 1852
steamer called the Orato was fitted out In England
as Confederate cruiser changing her name to that
OF the Florida after getting to sea. After two
years. cruise, during which she destroyed tbirty-two
American vessels she was pursued in October, 1884,
by the United States man-ofwar Wachusett, and
took refuge in the Brazilian port OF Bahia She was
cut out by the wacnuset and brought to Norfolk.
Some time afterward the Bazan government
demanded redress and the restoration OF the
steamer, and was met with q thousand smiles
and apologies, and the justice OF the de-


mand was fully admitted; but unfortunately, just
at that moment the rebel cruiser accidentally we,..
70 tue bo.tcm, on Fortress Monroe, ana there the
matter ended. 1t is surmised that similar result Is
not impossible now or that In some way the Horton
may get out OF the reacn OF both the English ana
the American governments, and so make her rest0-
ration to the Canadian authorities an mpossbilfty.
As the case now stands 1t is far from being as no
grant as the case Of the Florida, and only an at.
tempt her by the ships from the Navy Yard
at Charlestown or by the revenue cutters which
reported as In search OF her could have made
complete analogy between them or placed our gov.
ernment In the attitude In which the Wachusett
placed rs toward Brazil


Nothing has yet been heard al the Navy Depart
ment as to the reasons which induced the officers
at the Charlestown Navy Yard to send out the For.
tune and the Treasury Department Is still! In com.
pete ignorance to the causes Of the great nutter
and excitement among the revenue cutters on the
New England coast. AS they did nothing to en-
barrass the government and only their heat and
fury signifying nothing remains to be explained,
anything the naval onicers and the collectors OF
customs may have to say win have bearing only
upon themselves They might have helped to
complicate matters very much, but In any
event the case would not have been one
for pecaniary damages, and even then the
utmost tnat could have been demanded
would have been regrets and soft words AS 1t Is.
It is everywhere regarded In administration circles
IDLE but pernici0us folly and Gioucesers speck Of
war Is believed to have burst, leaving serene sky.


1t Is impossible to get any Of the officials who may


be compelled to deal with whatever questions may
arise out OF this matter TO speak with authority
on the subject, but these views are substantially
the views OF so much Of The administration as Is
kept here, and they embody both the public and the
private Judgment OF the case The government
would not, Of course, counsel the ACCESSIBILITY OF
scuttling the schooner, bus would exceedingly re.
gret any such event. and would be very sorry that
all that is left to be done Is to apologize.


Bu;ies on LiScIied ferchandise Not To Bc


Rcfurded.


The Collector OF Customs at Ogdensburg, n. Y, I
has written letter the Sec; etary OF the Treasury
stating that duties AMOUNTING a to sss7 pave been |
pad on CERTAIN wool seized and libeIled for having
been smuggled from Canada and released by the !
Court on claimant giving bonds for the payment oil |
the appraiser value In case OF condemnation. Re-
ferrlng TO the question as TO whether II merchan-
disc be condemned toe duties received should be
refunded the Secretary replies, quoting decision
OF the Supreme Court In the case OF Hoyt vs. The
United States, that moneys col ected under the cir
cumstances above mentioned do not enter into the
question OF condemnation, and that other cases de-
eide that they accrue to the United states as duties
The regulations OF the department accord with
these decisions.


Reciprocity with Austria.


the Austrian Minister, Baron Leierer. has sub
mitted to the Secretary Of state proposition Of
reciprocity in regard to tonnage, by which American
vessels are TO be taken in Austrian ports at the ton
maze represented In their register, provided the
government OF the United States VIII extend a ike
privilege TO Austrian vessels in American ports
This request is made upon the ground that Austria
has enacted law OF tonnage admeasurement SINH
lar to the method adopted in Great Britain and the
United states. The proposition mas been carefully
examined at the Treasury Department, aud agrees
with the American method except in few unim-
portant particulars. The request OF the Austrian
government will therefore be granted.