NEWS OF THE WEEK •
4THE Indirect Claims, after tormenting the world for a little over six months with their importunate deformities of structure, (have at length attained a happy release. It seems that in the sitting of Wednesday in last week,—Wednesday, 19th June, —the Arbitrators explained that the British demand for a long adjournment might, even if granted, lead to no good result, and would in the meantime cause a period of very painful and un- d esirable suspense. This being so, they thought it right to state that, after a very careful consideration,—not of the point in dispute 'between the two Governments, namely, the admissibility of the In- direct Claims under the Treaty, but—of the intrinsic nature of these claims themselves, they had "individually and collectively" come to 'the conclusion that they were inadmissible by the accepted principles of International law, as a foundation for compensation or damages between nations. The British Agent, Lord Tenterden, being asked if 'be had any comment to make on this declaration, replied that he h ad none. The American Agent, Mr. Bancroft Davis, requested an adjournment, in order to get the instructions of his Government upon it; and at the meeting of last Tuesday he stated that the Presi- dent accepted the judgment as "determinative of the important principle of public law involved." Thereupon the agent of Great 33ritain demanded an adjournment, in order to get the instructions of his Government ; and at Thursday's meeting he said that if 'the Tribunal would adopt and protocol this decision, and declare 'that the impugned Claims "are, and from henceforth will be, wholly excluded" from the consideration of the Tribunal, he would withdraw his request for an adjournment, and ask leave to put in his final summary of the arguments Great Britain relies -upon, as provided for in the fifth clause of the Treaty. And there the matter ended ; and Lord Granville and Mr. Gladstone officially Tecounted these events in the Houses of Parliament on Thursday -evening. And so farewell to our international Old Man of the Sea. May we be able to throw him off our bewildered and wearied imaginations, as. easily as off our political conscience and 'understanding!
