The Southland Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1872.

Southland Times, Issue 1547, 8 March 1872, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1872.

The chief item of interest in the news by the NehrasTca, is that relative to the turn which matters have taken in reference to the disposal of the Alabama claims. Not being disposed to view the business with the alarm with which it is without doubt regarded in some quarters, it is with a feeling of disappointment, amounting almost to disgust, that we have learned the absurdly preposterous claims expected to be included in the arrauged arbitration. While a liberal allowance may reasonably be made for the gasconading in which our cousins are .

wont to indulge, the question is a serious one, because of possible consequences. One thing appears very certain, that the astute diplomatists of Great Britain, in their preliminary negotiations, have been outwitted by the perhaps intentional omission, by crafty opponents, of matter which might afterwards be caused to turn up to the advantage of America. Tet even here it is possible that too much credit may be given for Yankee sharpness, and that the matters now proposed to be included in the arbitration were not referred to in the Treaty, because they were not at the time thought of by either party. Be this as it may, there can be but one opinion — that the preference by America of these indirect claims is a course not contemplated in the Treaty of Washington. With slight exception, tbe American press takes the high and mighty style, the " New York Herald," in true American fashion, referring to the probability of the collection of the amount claimed "at the point of the bayonet." The contrast between its present language and that employed in its review of the Treaty of "Washington ia sufficiently remarkable to be quoted. In reference to this Treaty, the " Herald " wrote : — " How completely j the Treaty of Washington has changed I the relations of Great Britain and America! Recently how cold w<*re those relations. Look at the acts o* r the last few days. How nobly our -povernment has gone to the rescue of England and saved ber territories from what might have proved a serious Fenian invasion. How nobly the British Government has acted in the maiter of the Chicago disaster! At the time the British Government was issuing instructions to the Government of the Dominion of Canada to offer to Chicago all the military tents and blankets in their possession, the Government of the TJnited States was taking excellent care of General O'Neill. This is an intelligible kind of reciprocity. We owe it to the Washington Treaty. Let us have a little more of the same." The gist of the matter lies in the construction to be put on the Treaty, which, like many more diplomatic productions, may be made to read two ways, and plainly as England has evinced her disposition to concede, rather than to proceed to extremities, the mind of the English nation is not disposed to accept the American construction of it. The news by the Suez mail will, it is to be hoped, present the matter to us in another aspect.