RECAPITULATION.

Awards of moneys made under the convention for the adjustment of claims of February 8, 1853, in behalf of British claimants against the United States government.

Or, at the relative value of exchange as established by the commissioners, to (£57,252 13s. 4d.) fifty-seven thousand two hundred and fifty-two pounds thirteen shillings and four pence.

3,099 54

30,473 48

25,000 00

277,102 88

EXPENSES OF COMMISSION.

Salary of commissioners at $3,000 or £620 per annum, each, for sixteen months, from September 15, 1853, to January 15, 1855, during the actual time of session

Clerk's salary ...

Messenger's salary, &c ...

Rent of office from September 29, 1853, to March 25, 1855, at £90 per annum.
Housekeeper's account during the above time..

Stationers' and copyists' bills...

Printing and binding of the commissioners' judgments and printing also of

£ d. S.

1,653 6 8

399 8 4

97 0 0

135 0 0

24 0 0

68 6 6

120 0 0

57 15 0

4 10 0

11 10 0

18 0 0

2,588 16 6

The commissioners leave it to the two governments to determine the time when the salaries of the commissioners should commence and terminate, and what travelling expenses, if any, should be allowed to the appointed place of meeting, and return from the same, and the compensation to be allowed to the umpire.

Such further amounts as may be allowed on these accounts are to be added to the expenses hereabove written, which expenses we certify to be true and correct, and that they are to be defrayed by a ratable deduction from the total amount awarded by the commissioners, agreeably to the 6th article of the convention, provided that, if they shall exceed the rate of five per cent. on such total amount, the deficiency is to be defrayed in moieties by the governments.

By the convention it was left to the respective governments to appear in behalf of the claimants by counsel or agents, or not, at their

option, and no compensation was established for such agents. The commissioners, therefore, leave the amount due to the agents to be determined by their respective governments.

N. G. UPHAM,

United States Commissioner.

EDMUND HORNBY,

British Commissioner.

NOTE. By the civil and diplomatic appropriation bill of March 3, 1855, the sum of twelve thousand dollars each was allowed by Congress for the services and expenses of the American commissioner and agent.

I hereby certify that I have duly examined, with a view of authenticating the same, the foregoing records of the commission, with the transcript thereof for the government of Great Britain, and have found the same to be correct.

And I further certify that the signatures therein are the genuine signatures of the commissioners and umpire.

Dated this 20th day of January, in the year of our Lord 1855.

N. L. UPHAM,

Secretary of Commission on Claims.

[SEAL OF COMMISSION.]

Ex. Doc. 103-6

THE UMPIRE OF THE LONDON COMMISSION.

NOTE.-Mr. Bates, of London, was selected as umpire, by agreement between the commissioners. It so happened that many of the most important questions that came before the commission were referred to him for decision, which rendered his labors arduous, and his responsibility great. Although provision was made in the treaty to compensate him for his services, yet he refused to receive any remuneration whatever.

REPORTS OF DECISIONS BY THE COMMISSIONERS,

AND THE

ARGUMENTS OF COUNSEL.

The following constitute the reports of decisions drawn up in the principal cases by the commissioners.

Other cases, which depended mostly on questions of fact, or in which no important principle of international law was involved, are briefly stated, with the reasons assigned for their decision, in the preceding report of awards.

BARQUE JONES.

The barque Jones was seized in the harbor of St. Helena, on charges—

I. Of being in British waters, without having ship's papers on board, and therefore without national character.

II. For being engaged in and equipped for the slave trade.

There was a competent court for the trial of these charges at St. Helena, but the barque was taken to Sierra Leone for trial, and the charge of being engaged in and equipped for the slave trade was adjudged by the court there "to be without foundation, and destitute of any probable cause to sustain it." It appeared, also, that the ship's papers were duly deposited at the collector's and consul's offices, on her arrival, as required by law, but the court assessed the vessel in costs, on the ground of alleged resistance to constituted authorities, and it was sold at auction for the payment of these charges.

Held, that the allegation of being without ship's papers, and without a national character, was unsustained by evidence.

Held, also, on the judgment delivered by the court, that no costs could be taxed against the vessel, and that no resistance to authorities was shown. And further, that the removal of the vessel from St. Helena, where a competent court existed for the trial of these charges, to Sierra Leone for trial, was a violation of the rights of the parties, and that the owners of the Jones were entitled to full remuneration for all damages sustained.

The case was fully argued by J. A. THOMAS, agent and counsel for the United States, and by JAMES HANNEN, agent and counsel for the British government.