17 NOVEMBER 1866, Page 2

Lord Derby did not say much at the Mension House

yeisterday week, but what he did say was very favourable to the policy of settling our differences with the United States; and the warm support which this idea has had from both the Times, which seems -to be for the present semi-official, and the Standard, which is the party organ, looks as if it would be really attempted. We only hope that if Lord Stanley does anything in the matter -he will make the particular dispute subordinate to -the determination of the general policy. We can well afford to pay the Alabama claims out and out, if it seems fair that we should ; but we cannot well afford to have the same disagreeable doubt' hanging wear the question for the future, and no security -that in future wars Ala- bamas and Shenandoabs may-not-be fitted out againstour-oommerce from ports in the United States, and commissioned without even touching at any port really belonging to the enemy. If we were in fault in the case-of the Alabama (as wnyery likely were) we-were in fault only in the same way in which the United States were also in fault with Portugal forty years ago. The -mischief lies in the defective law of both countries alike.