Record of the proceedings of the tribunal of arbitration at the twenty-fourth conference, held at Geneva, in Switzerland, on the 21st of August, 1872
The conference was held pursuant to adjournment. All the arbitrators and the agents of the two governments were present.
Shenandoah: argument ordered on effect of the entry of Florida into Mobile. The protocol, of the last conference was read and approved, and was signed by the president and secretary of the tribunal and the agents of the two governments.
The tribunal continued the consideration of the case of the Shenandoah, by hearing explanations from Sir Roundell Palmer and Mr. C. Cushing.
At the close of his remarks, Mr. C. Cushing requested to be informed by the tribunal whether the questions outside of that of enlistment, on which the elucidation called for specially turned, remain open before the tribunal.
After deliberation, a majority of four to one declared the tribunal sufficiently enlightened.
Count Sclopis then concluded the statement of his opinions, which he had not completed at the meeting of the 19th instant.
Sir Alexander Cockburn, as one of the arbitrators, then proposed to the tribunal to require further elucidation by counsel upon the following question:
The legal effect, if any, of the fact that the Florida, after leaving the Bahamas, did, before entering on her employment as a vessel of war and taking any vessel of the United States, go into Mobile, a confederate port, and after a delay of four months, proceed from thence on her cruise against the shipping of the United States, under the circumstances appearing in the evidence.
The tribunal decided to adopt the proposal.
The conference was then adjourned until Friday, the 23d instant, at half-past 12 o’clock.
- FREDERICK SCLOPIS.
- J. C. BANCROFT DAVIS.
- TENTERDEN.
- ALEX. FAVROT, Secretary.