Record of the proceedings of the tribunal of arbitration at the twenty-seventh conference held at Geneva, in Switzerland, on the 29th of August, 1872.

The conference was held with closed doors, pursuant to adjournment. All the arbitrators were present.

Sundry classes of claims rejected. The protocol of the last conference was read; the approval and signing of the same was deferred until the next meeting.

The tribunal proceeded to consider the questions concerning the claims for “expenditure incurred in pursuit of the cruisers, prospective profits, and freights.”

As to the claims for expenditure incurred in pursuit of the cruisers, a majority of the tribunal decided to reject them as comprised in the costs of the war; Mr. Staempfli and Mr. Adams declared them to be admissible, as belonging to the direct losses, reserving to appreciate their amount according to the bases laid down in the table at page 120 of the seventh volume of the appendix to the case of the United States.

As to the claims for prospective profits the tribunal unanimously decided to reject them, reserving, however, the questions as to the wages for the whalers and the interest for the value of the vessels and their outfit.

As to the claims for freights, the tribunal unanimously decided not to admit of the gross freight, but only the net freight.

The tribunal also decided to consider at the next conference the questions concerning the valuation of the destroyed vessels and the claims for interest.

Lastly the tribunal decided to adjourn this conference until Friday, the 30th instant, at 12 o’clock, and to deliberate again with closed doors.

  • FREDERICK SCLOPIS.
  • ALEX. FAVROT, Secretary.