The prospect of some sort of settlement cif the Alabama
Claims is somewhat better this week. All reports from the States show
that the people and press are taking the matter very quietly, and understand both the nature and the complete sincerity of the English position better than they did. If the Daily News' correspondent be right, there is even hope, as we have else- where explained, that the United States admit that part of the Treaty excludes the indirect claims,—that part, namely, which remits the computation of the indemnity to a Board of Assessors at Washington, in case the Geneva Arbitrators cannot agree on a lump sum to be awarded to the United States by way of indemnity. Any symptom of even partial approximation between the views of the two countries would at the present moment be extremely hopeful.
