COPY OF RESOLUTION FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT OF THE

COMMISSIONERS.

UNITED STATES SENATE, March 3, 1855.

Resolved, That the President be requested to furnish to the Senate the report of the commissioners for the adjustment of claims under the convention of February 8, 1853, between the United States and Great Britain, with the decisions of the commissioners and umpire, and the arguments of the agents as reported by them, and that the usual number of copies of the same be printed for the use of the Senate, under the direction of the Department of State; said report to be properly bound, edited, and indexed.

OFFICE OF COMMISSION,

LONDON, JANUARY 15, 1855.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS UNDER THE CONVENTION OF FEBRUARY 8, 1853, FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF CLAIMS OF CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, AND of subJECTS OF GREAT BRITAIN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, TO THEIR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS

The undersigned commissioners, herewith, respectfully report to their respective governments their proceedings and awards, under the convention of February 8, 1853, for the adjustment of claims of citizens of the United States and subjects of Great Britain against either government.

The cases submitted for the consideration of the commissioners have greatly exceeded the number originally anticipated. This has arisen from the fact that the agents of the governments have deemed it their duty to submit all claims coming within the period prescribed by the convention, which had been presented to either government for its interposition with the other.

Many of these cases might never have been made a matter of consideration, had they not been thus brought forward.

The mere statement of some of them would justify their rejection, but in most instances they have required very considerable investigation.

The duties of the commissioners have thus been greatly increased beyond what was originally contemplated. Many of the cases also had formed the subject of long and serious discussions between the two governments. In the adjustment of these claims the commissioners have naturally felt the responsibility cast upon them, and have, therefore, devoted no inconsiderable amount of time and labor to their settlement, and they have found it difficult to conclude the business of the commission within the time to which it had been extended.

They have, however, passed upon all the cases before them, and beg to report their action, and that of the umpire thereon, as the best result they have been able to attain in discharging the important duties intrusted to them.

The papers herewith presented consist of the journal of proceedings of the commissioners and umpire, the list of claims of the citizens or subjects of either country against the other, with the awards and opinions thereon, together with the correspondence relative to the appointment of an umpire, and other matters pertaining to the commission.

All which is respectfully submitted.

N. G. UPHAM,

United States Commissioner.

EDMUND HORNBY,

British Commissioner

PROCEEDINGS AND AWARDS

OF THE

COMMISSIONERS AND UMPIRE,

UNDER THE

Convention of February 8, 1853, for the adjustment of claims of citizens of the United States against the British government, and of subjects of Great Britain against the United States.

JOURNAL OF THE COMMISSION.

9 WELLINGTON CHAMBERS, LANCASTER PLACE,

Waterloo Bridge, London, September 15, 1853.

On the eighth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, a convention was concluded between the United States of America and her Britannic Majesty, for the adjustment of certain claims of citizens of the United States on the British goverment, and of British subjects on the government of the United States, by means of a mixed commission to be duly constituted for that purpose, which convention is as follows:

Convention between the United States of America and her Britannic Majesty for the settlement of outstanding claims of the citizens of either country against the other.

Whereas, claims have at various times, since the signature of the treaty of peace and friendship between the United States of America and Great Britain, concluded at Ghent on the 24th of December, 1814, been made upon the government of the United States on the part of corporations, companies, and private individuals, subjects of her Britannic Majesty, and upon the government of her Britannic Majesty

on the part of corporations, companies, and private individuals, citizens of the United States; and whereas some of such claims are still pending, and remain unsettled, the President of the United States of America, and her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, being of opinion that a speedy and equitable settlement of all such claims will contribute much to the maintenance of the friendly feelings which subsist between the two countries, have resolved to make arrangements for that purpose by means of a convention, and have named as their plenipotentiaries to confer and agree thereupon that is to say

The President of the United States of America, Joseph Reed Ingersoll, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States to her Britannic Majesty;

And her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honorable John Russell, (commonly called Lord John Russell,) a member of her Britannic Majesty's most honorable privy council, a member of parliament, and her Britannic Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs;

Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE I.

The high contracting parties agree that all claims on the part of corporations, companies, or private individuals, citizens of the United States, upon the government of her Britannic Majesty, and all claims on the part of corporations, companies, or private individuals, subjects of her Britannic Majesty, upon the government of the United States, which may have been presented to either government for its interposition with the other since the signature of the treaty of peace and friendship, concluded between the United States of America and Great Britain at Ghent, on the 24th of December, 1814, and which yet remain unsettled, as well as any other such claims, which may be presented within the time specified in article III, hereinafter, shall be referred to two commissioners, to be appointed in the following manner that is to say: One commissioner shall be named by the President of the United States, and one by her Britannic Majesty. In case of the death, absence, or incapacity of either commissioner, or in the event of either commissioner omitting or ceasing to act as such,