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THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON.

The following is the official text of such articles of the above as relate to the Alabama claims : — " Art. 1. — Whereas differences have arisen between the O-ovvrnm-'nfc of the United States <md the Government of Her Britannic Majesty, and still exist, growing out of the. acts committed by the sever.il vessels which have given rise to the claims genericaliy known as the Alabama claims. And whereas Her Britannic ; Majesty has authorised her High Com- J mis-tinners and Plenipotentiaries to express iv 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 vessel?. Now, in order to remove and adjust all complaints \ and claims on the part of the. United States, j and to provide for the speed// settlement of such claims, which are not admitted by \ Her Britannic Majesty's Government, the High Contracting Parties agree that all the said claims growing out of acts comj miffed bi/ the aforesaid vessels, and generically Ten-own as the Alabama claims, 1 shall be referred to a Tribunal of Arbitra tion, to be composed of five arbitrators, to be appointed in the following manner — that is to say, one shall be named by Her Britannic Majesty ; one shall be named by the President of the United States ; 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 the death, absence, or incapacity to serve of any or either of the said Arbitrators, or in the event of either of the said Arbitrators omitting or declining or ceasing to act as such, Her Britannic Majesty, or the President of the United States, or his Majesty the King of Italy, or the President of the Swiss Confederation, or hia Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, as the case may be, may forthwith name another person to act as Arbitrator in the place and stead of the Arbitrator originally named by such head of a State. And in the event of the refusal or omission for two months after receipt of the request from either of the High Contracting Parties of his Majesty the King of Italy, or the President of the Swiss Confederation, or his Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, to name an Arbitrator either to fill the original appointment or in the place of one who may have died, be absent, or incapacitated, or who may omit, decline, or from any cause cease to act as such Arbitrator, his Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway shall be requested to name one or more persons, as the case may be, to act as such Arbitrator or Arbitrators. " Art. 2. — The Arbitrators shall meet at Geneva, in Switzerland, at the earliest convenient day after they shall have been named, and shall proceed impartially and carefully to examine and decide all questions that shall be laid before them on the part of the Governments of Her Britannic Majesty and the Unite I States respectively. All questions considered by the tribunal, including the final award, shall be decided by a majority of all the Arbitrators. Each of the High Contracting Parties shall also name one person to attend the tribunal as its agent to represent it generally in all matters connected with the arbitration. " Art. 3. — The written or printed case of each of the two parties, accompanied by the documents, the official correspondence, and other evidence on which each relies, shall be delivered in duplicate to each of the Arbitrators, and to the agent of the other party, as soon as may be after the organisation of the tribunal, but within a period not exceeding six months from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty. " Art. 4. — "Within four months after the delivery on both sides of the written or printed cisc, either party may, in like manner, deliver in duplicate to each of the said arbitrators, and to the agent of the other party, a counter case, and additional documents, correspondence, and evidence in reply to the case, documents, correspondence, and evidence so presented by the other party. The arbitrators may, however, extend the time for delivering such counter- case, documents, correspondence, and evidence when, in their judgment, it becomes necessary, in consequence of the distance of the place from which the evidence to be presented is to be procured. If, in the case submitted to the arbitrators, either party shall have specified or alluded to any report or document iv its own exclusive possession, without annex- ( ing a copy, such party shall be bound, if the other party thinks proper to apply for it, to furnish that party with a copy thereof; and either party may call upon the other, through the arbitrators, to I produce the originals or certified copies [ of any papers adduced as evidence, giving in each instance such reasonable notice as } the arbitrators may require. " Art. s.— lt shall be the duty of the agent of each party, within two months 1 after the expiration of the time limited I for the delivery of the counter-case on both cides, to deliver in duplicate to each of tbe said arbitrators, and to the agent of the other party, a written or printed argument showing the paints and referring to the evidence upon which his Government relies ; and the arbitrators may, if they desire further elucidation with regard to any point, require a written or printed statement or argument or oral argument by counsel upon it ; but in such case the other party shall be entitled to reply either orally or in writing, as the case may be. " Art. 6. — In deciding the matters submitted to the arbitrators, they shall be governed by the following three rules, which are agreed upon by the High Contracting Parties as rules to be taken as applicable to the case, and by such principles of international law not inconsistent therewith as the arbitrators shall

determine to have been applicable to the case : — Rules. — A neutral Government is bound — First. — To use Hue diligence to prevent the fitting out, arming, or equipping within its jurisdiction, of any vessel which it has reasonable ground to believe is intended to cruise or tn carry on wir against a Power with which it is at peace; and also to use like diligence to prevent the departure from its jurisdiction of any vessel intended to cruise or carry ou war aa above, such ■ vessel having been specially adapted, in I whole or in part, within such jurisdiction, to warlike ua?. Secondly. Not to permit or suffer either belligerent to make use of its ports or waters as the base of naval operations against the other, or for the purpose of the renewal or augmentation of military supplies or arms, or the recruitment of men. Thirdly. To exercise I due diligence in its own ports and waters, i and, as to all persona within its jurisdici tion, to prevent any violation of the I foregoing obligations and duties. Her \ Britannic Majesty has commanded her High Commissioners and Plenipotentiaries to declare that Her Majesty's Government cannot assent to the foregoing rules as a statement of principles of international law which were in force at the time when the claims mentioned in Art. 1 arose ; but that Her Majesty's Government, in order to evince its desire of strengthening the friendly relations between the two countries, and of making satisfactory provision for the future, agrees that, in deciding the questions between the two countries arising out of those claims, the arbitrators should assume that Her Majesty's Government had undertaken to act upon the principles set forth in these rules. And the High Contracting Parties agree to observe these rules as between themselves in future, and to bring them to the knowledge of other maritime Powers and to invite them to accede to them. " Art. 7. — The decision of the tribunal shall, if possible, be made within three months from the close of the argument on both sides. It shall be made in writing aad dated, and shall be signed by the Arbitrators who may assent to it. The said tribunal shall first determine as to each vessel separately whether Greit Britain has, by any act or omission, failed to fulfil any of the duties set forth in the foregoing three rules, or recognised by the principles of international law not inconsistent with such rules, and shall certify &uch fact as to each of the said vessels. In case the tribunal find that Great Britain has failed to fulfil any duty or duties as aforesaid, it may, if it think proper, proceed to award a sum in gross to be. paid by Great Britain to the United States for all the claims referred to it ; and in such case the gross sum so awarded shall be paid in coin by the Government of Great Britain to the Government of the United States at Washington, within 12 months after the date of the award. The award shall be in duplicate, one copy whereof shall be delivered to the agent of Great Britain for his Government;, and the other copy shall be delivered to the agent of the United States for his Government. " Art. 8. — Each Government shall pay its own agent and provide for the proper remuneration of the counsel employed by it, and of the Arbitrator appointed by it, and tor the expense of preparing and submitting its case to the tribunal. All other expenses connected with the arbitration shall be defrayed by the two Governments in equal moieties. " Art. 9. — The Arbitrators shall keep an accurate record of their proceedings, aud may appoint and employ the necessary officers to assist them. "Art. 10. — In case thetribunalfindsthat Great Britain has failed to fulfij any duty or duties as aforesaid, aud does not award a sum in gross, the high contracting parties agree that a Board of Assessors sball be appointed to ascertain and determine what claims are valid, and what amount or amounts shall be paid by Great Britain to the United States on account of the liability arising from such failure as to each vessel, according to the extent of such liability as decided by the Arbitrators. The Board of Assessors shall be constituted as follows : — One member thereof shall be named by Her Britannic Majesty, one me'uber thereof shall be named by the President of the United States, and one member thereof shall be named by the representative at Washington of His Majesty the King of Italy j j and in case of a vacancy happening from any caus°, it shall be filled in the { same manner in which the original ap- j pointment was made. As soon as possible after such nominations, the Board of i Assessors shall be organised in. Washington, with power to hold their sutings there, or in New York, or in Boston. The members thereof shall severally subscribe a solemn declaration that they will impartially and carefully examine and decide, to the best of their judgment, and accordiag to justice and equity, all matters submitted to them, and Bhall forthwith proceed under such rules and regulations as they may prescribe, to the investigation of the claims which shall be presented to them by the Government of the United States, and shall examine and decide upon them in such order and manner as they may think proper, but upon such evidence or information only as shall be furnished by or on behalf of the Government of Great Britain and of the United States respectively. They shall bo bound to hear on each separate claim, it' required, one person on behalf of each Government aa counsel or agent. A majority of the assessors in each case shall be sufficient for a decision. The decision of the assessors shall be given upon, each claim in writing, and shall be aigued by them respectively and dated. Every claim shall be presented to thy assessors within six months from the day of their first meeting ; but they may, for good cause shown, extend the time for the presentation of any claim to a further period not exceeding three months. The assessors shall report to each Government, at or before the expiration of one year from the date of their first meeting, the

I amount of claims decide I by them up to the date of such report ; if further claims then remain undecided, they shall make a further report at or before the expiration of two years from the date of such first meeting ; and in caae any claims remain undetermined at that time, they shall mike a final report within a further period of six mouths. The report or reports shall be ma ie in duplicate, and one copy thereof shall be delivered to the representatives of Her Britannic Majesty at Washington, and one copy thereof to the Secretary of State for the United States. A.ll sums of money which may be awarded under this Article, shall be payable at Washington, in coin, within 12 months after the delivery of each report. The Board of Assessors may employ such clerks as they shall think necessary. The | expenses of the Board of Assessors shall be borne equally by the two Governments, and paid from time to time, as may be found expedient, ou production of accounts certified by the Board. The remuneration of the Assessors shall also be paid by the two Governments in equal moieties in a similar manner. "Art. 11.— The High Contracting Parties engage to consider the result of the proceedings of the Tribunal of Arbitration and of the Board of Assessors, should such Board be appointed, as a full, perfect, and final settlement of all the claims heretofore referred to ; and further engage that every such claim, whether the same may or may not have been presented to the notice of, made, preferred, or laid before the Tribunal or Board, shall, from and after the conclusion of the proceedings of the Tribunal or- Board, be considered and treated as finally settled, barred, and thenceforth inadmissible."

Permanent link to this item
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18720315.2.19

Bibliographic details
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Southland Times, Issue 1551, 15 March 1872, Page 3

Word count
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2,383

THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON. Southland Times, Issue 1551, 15 March 1872, Page 3

THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON. Southland Times, Issue 1551, 15 March 1872, Page 3

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