Foreign Relations of the United States, 1902, Whaling and Sealing Claims Against Russia, On Account of Arrest and Seizure of the American Vessels “Cape Horn Pigeon,” “James Hamilton Lewis,” “C. H. White,” and “Kate and Anna,” Appendix I

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Embassy of the United States,
St. Petersburg , February 23, 1901 .

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a translation into English of the memorandum presenting the claims of the owners, officers, and crews of the Cape Horn Pigeon, the James Hamilton Lewis, the C. H. White, and the Kate and Anna to the arbitrator at the Hague.

If the Department sees no objection to it, I would be glad to have this translation delivered to the Hon. H. C. Lodge, United States Senator from Massachusetts, with a view to its being printed, through his good offices, as a public document.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

Herbert H. D. Peirce,
Counsel and Agent for United States Government.

Hon. John Hay,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

A l’Honorable Arbitre, M. T. M. C. Asser,	To the Honorable Arbitrator, Mr. T. M. C. Asser,
Conseil du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères du Royaume des PaysBas, etc., dans l’arbitrage convenu d’après les notes échangées entre les représentants des deux hautes puissances contractantes, dûment autorisés à cet effet, en date du 3 septembre, 1900, pour régler les différends entre le Gouvernement des États-Unis d’Amérique, partie demanderesse, et le Gouvernement Impérial de Russie, partie défenderesse, relatifs aux arrêts et saisies des vaisseaux Américains “Cape Horn Pigeon,” “James Hamilton Lewis,” “C. H. White, et “Kate and Anna”	Counselor of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, etc., in the arbitration agreed in the notes exchanged between the representatives of the two high contracting powers, duly authorized to that effect, dated September 3, 1900, to adjust the differences between the Government of the United States of America, party claimant, and the Imperial Government of Russia, party defendant, relative to the arrest and seizure of the American vessels the “Cape Horn Pigeon,” the “James Hamilton Lewis,” the “C. H. White,” and the “Kate and Anna.”
protocol.	protocol.
Ministère des Affaires Étrangères.	The Government of the United States of America and the Imperial Government of Russia, having agreed to invite Mr. Asser, Member of the Council of State of the Netherlands to act as Arbitrator in connection with the claim of the schooners “James Hamilton Lewis,” “C. H. White,” “Kate and Anna,” their charterers, owners, officers and crews, arising out of their detention or seizure by Russian cruisers on the charge of having been illegally engaged in fur-seal fishing and the claim of the whaling bark “Cape Horn Pigeon,” her charterers, owners, officers and crew arising out of her detention or seizure by a Russian vessel, the undersigned Charge d’Affaires of the United States of America, having been duly authorized thereto, has the honor to make hereby the following declaration, in exchange with a similar declaration upon the part of the Imperial Government of Russia.
(Premier Département.)
Le Gouvernement Impérial de Russie et le Gouvernement des États-Unis d’Amérique s’étant mis d’accord pour inviter M. Asser, membre du Conseil d’État des Pays-Bas, à prononcer comme Arbitre dans le différend relatif aux affaires des schooners “James Hamilton Lewis,” “C. H. White,” “Kate and Anna,” leurs armateurs, propriétaires, officiers, et équipages, arrêtés ou saisis par des croiseurs Russes sous prévention de s’être livrés à la chasse illicite des phoques à fourrure, et à l’affaire du navire baleinier “Cape Horn Pigeon,” ses armateurs, pro priétaires, officiers, et équipage, arrêté ou saisi par un vaisseaurusse, le soussigné, Gérant du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères de Sa Majesté l’Empereur de Russie, dûment autorisé à cet effet, a l’honneur par la présente note de déclarer ce qui suit en échange d’une déclaration identique du Gouvernement des États-Unis d’Amérique.
L’Arbitre aura à prendre connaissance des réclamations d’indemnité qui ont été présentées au Gouvernement Impérial de Russie par le Gouvernement des États-Unis au non des ayants droit.	The arbitrator shall take cognizance of the claims for imdemnity which have been presented to the Imperial Government of Russia by the Government of the United States on behalf of the parties in interest.
Il est bien entendu que cette clause doit être interprétée comme admettant la présentation de part et d’autre, dans le témoignage soumis à l’Arbitre, de toute preuve qui a déjà été présentée ou qui a paru dans la correspondance entre les Représentants officiels des Hautes Puissances Contractantes, aussi bien que toute évidence se rapportant aux questions en litige.	It is understood and agreed that this provision is to be construed as permitting the introduction, on both sides, into the testimony submitted to the arbitrator, of any and all evidence which may have already been presented or appeared in the correspondence between the official Representatives of the two high contracting Powers, as well as all evidence relating to the questions in litigation.
La Partie demanderesse remettra à l’Arbitre, dans un délai de trois mois à partir de l’échange de la présente note contre une note identique du Gouvernement des États-Unis, un Mémorandum à l’appui de sa demande, et en fera parvenir immédiatement une copie à la Partie défenderesse.	The Party claimant shall present to the arbitrator, within three months from the date of the exchange of the present note with an identical one of the Imperial Government of Russia, a memorandum in support of its claim, and shall hand immediately a copy thereof to the Party Defendant.
Dans un délai de trois mois après la réception de la dite copie, la Partie défenderesse remettra à l’Arbitre un Contre-Mémorandum dont elle fera parvenir immédiatement une copie à la Partie demanderesse.	Within three months from the date of the receipt of the said copy, the Party defendant shall present to the arbitrator a contra-memorandum, of which it shall hand immediately a copy to the Party claimant.
Endéans trois mois après la réception du Contre-Mémorandum susmentionné, la Partie demanderesse pourra, si elle le juge utile, remettre à l’Arbitre un nouveau Mémorandum dont elle fera parvenir immédiatement une copie à la Partie défenderesse, laquelle pourra également, endéans trois mois apres la réception de cette copie, remettre à l’Arbitre un nouveau Contre-Mémorandum dont elle fera parvenir immédiatement une copie à la Partie demanderesse.	Within three months after the receipt of such contra-memorandum, the Party claimant may, if it sees fit to do so, present to the arbitrator a new memorandum, of which it shall hand immediately a copy to the Party defendant, and the latter may also, within three months from the receipt thereof present to the arbitrator a new contra-memorandum, of which it shall hand immediately a copy to the Party claimant.
L’Arbitre est autorisé à accorder à chacune des Parties qui le demanderait une prorogation de trente jours au maximum par rapport à tous les délais mentionnés plus haut.	The arbitrator shall be authorized, at the request of either of the Parties, to extend for a period of not longer than thirty days any of the intervals of time hereinabove provided for.
Après l’échange des Mémorandums susindiqués, aucune communication ni écrite ni verbale ne pourra être adressée a l’Arbitre à moins que celui-cines’adresse luimême aux Parties ou à l’une d’entre elles pour obtenir des renseignements supplémentaires par écrit.	After the exchange of memoranda as hereinabove said no communication, either written or verbal, shall be addressed to the arbitrator, unless he shall request from the Parties, or either of them, supplementary information to be given in writing.
Le Partie qui donnera un renseignement à l’Arbitre fera parvenir immédiatement copie de sa communication à l’autre Partie et celleci pourra, si bon lui semble, endéans un mois après la rèception de cette copie, transmettre parécrit à l’Arbitre des observations au su jet du contenu de cette communication; ces observations seront immédiatement communiquées en copie à la Partie adverse.	The Party so giving information to the arbitrator shall hand immediately a copy of its communication to the opponent, who may if he thinks fit to do so present in writing to the arbitrator, within one month from the date of his receipt thereof, comments relating to the subject matter of the said communication, and a copy of such comments shall be sent immediately to the Party opponent.
Il appartiendra à l’Arbitre de statuersur toutes les questions qui ppurraient surgir relativement à la procédure dans le cours de l’Arbitrage.	The arbitrator shall have authority to decide all questions that may arise in regard to procedure in the course of the arbitration.
L’Arbitre rendra sa sentence dans toutes les causes de l’Arbitrage dans un délai de six mois à partir de la réception du dernier Mémorandum ou Contre-Mémorandum mentionné dans ce Protocole.	The arbitrator shall render his decisions in all the cases within six months from the date of the delivery to him of the last memorandum or contra-memorandum provided for in this agreement.
Dans sa Sentence, qui sera communiquée par lui aux deux Gouvernements intéressés, l’Arbitre, en se réglant sur les principes généraux du droit des gens et sur Fesprit des accords internationaux applieables à la matière, devra décider à l’égard de chaque réclamation formulée à la charge du Gouvernement Impérial de Russie, si elle est bien fondée, et, dans l’affirmative, si les fails sur lesquels chacune de ces réclamations est basée, sont prouvés. Il est bien entendu que cette stipulation n’aura aucune force rétroactive, et que l’Arbitre appliquera aux cas en litige les principes du droit des gens et les Traités Internationaux qui étaient en vigueur et obligatoires pour les Parties impliquées dans ce litige aù moment où la saisie des navires susmentionnés a eu lieu.	In his decision, which shall be communicated by him to each of the two Governments interested, the arbitrator following the general principles of international law and the spirit of international agreements applicable to the subject, shall determine as to each claim brought against the Imperial Government of Russia, whether such claim is well founded; and, if he decides affirmatively, whether the facts upon which each of the said claims is based have been proven.
	It is understood and agreed that this stipulation shall have no retroactive force, and that the arbitrator shall apply to the cases now in litigation the principles of international law and of international agreements which were in force and binding upon the Parties to this litigation at the moment when the seizures aforementioned took place.
Dans ce cas l’Arbitre fixera la somme de l’indemnité qui serait due par le Gouvernement Russe pour le compte des réclamations présentées par les ayants droit.	The arbitrator shall fix the amount of any indemnity to be paid by the Russian Government in respect to the claims presented by the parties in interest.
Sans préjudice de l’obligation incombant à la Partie demanderesse de justifier les dommages soufferts, l’Arbitre pourra, s’il le juge opportun, inviter chaque Gouvernement à désigner un expert commercial pour l’aider, en sa dite qualité, à fixer le montant de l’indemnité.	If he wishes to do so, without, however, lessening the obligation incumbent upon the Party claimant to prove the damage suffered, the arbitrator may invite each Government to appoint a Commercial expert to aid him, in this capacity, in fixing the amount of the indemnity.
Le Gouvernement Impérial de Russie se déclare prêt, en échange d’un engagement semblable du Gouvernement des États-Unis, à prendre à son compte toutes les dépenses qui seraient faites ou auraient été faites pour soutenir son point de vue dans cette affaire, à payer la moitié de la compensation à l’Arbitre pour ses offices, de même qu’à accepter com me jugement en dernier la décision prononcée par l’Arbitre dans les limites du present accord et à s’y soumettre sans aucune réserve.	The Government of the United States declares itself ready, in exchange with a similar agreement upon the part of the Imperial Government of Russia, to assume all expenses which may or shall be incurred in the presentation of its side of the case in this matter and to pay one half of the compensation of the arbitrator for his services also to accept as a final judgment the decision pronounced by the arbitrator within the limits of the present agreement, and to submit thereto without any reservation whatsoever.
Toute somme décrétée par l’Arbitre aux réclamants, ou à l’un d’entre eux, sera payée par le Gouvernement Impérial Russe au Gouvernement des États-Unis dans un délai d’un an à partir de la date du Décret.	Any amount awarded by the arbitrator in favor of the claimants, or either of them, shall be paid by the Imperial Government of Russia to the Government of the United States within one year from the date of the award.
La langue française étant reconnue comme la langue officielle de l’Arbitrage, la Sentence Arbitrate devra être rendue dans cette langue.	French being recognized as the official language of the arbitration the decision of the arbitrator should be rendered in that language.
Fait en quatre exemplaires à Saint-Pétersbourg, le 26 Août (8 Septembre), 1900.	Done at St. Petersburg in quadruple the 26th day of August (8 September), 1900.
(Signé) Comte Lamsdorff.	Herbert H. D. Peirce.

MEMORANDUM.

The undersigned, counsel for the Government of the United States of America, has the honor to present to the honorable arbitrator the following memorandum of the Government of the United States of America in support of the claims of the owners, officers, and crews of the American bark Cape Horn Pigeon and of the American schooners James Hamilton Lewis, C. H. White, and Kate and Anna for indemnity on account of the arrest and seizure of the said vessels by the agents and officers of the Imperial Government of Russia.

By an exchange of identical notes, dated September 8, 1900, between the representatives of the two high contracting powers, duly authorized to that effect, the Government of the United States of America and the Imperial Government of Russia have agreed to refer to arbitration their differences relative to the claims for indemnity of certain citizens of the United States of America.

This indemnity is claimed on account of the losses and injuries sustained by citizens of the United States by the arrest and seizure of American vessels as well as by reason of other actions committed in relation thereto by the agents and officers of the Government of Russia.

The statement of the facts of these arrests and seizures, with the supporting evidence, the statements of the damages suffered by the claimants, and the arguments in support of the claims are duly set forth in the documents hereto annexed, marked respectively: Case 1, “the Cape Horn Pigeon;” case 2, “the James Hamilton Lewis;” case 3, “the C. H. White;” case 4, “the Kate and Anna.”

The Government of the United States of America maintains that the said arrests and seizures, as well as all the other acts relating thereto which resulted in injury to citizens of the United States, were contrary to international law and to the treaty rights of the United States, as well as an invasion of the personal rights of its citizens.

Among the damages sustained by citizens of the United States in this connection, the officers and crews of the vessels Cape Horn Pigeon, James Hamilton Lewis, and C. H. White were unwarrantably held as prisoners.

The Commission appointed to adjust the difference between the United States and Great Britain under the treaty of Washington of 1871 made the following awards of damages:

• Case No. 61.—Samuel G. Levy was arrested and detained eight days. He was awarded $930.
• Case No. 97.—William Patrick was arrested on false or erroneous information and detained sixteen days. He was awarded $5,160.
• Case No. 325.—William Ashton was arrested and detained three months and four days, and was awarded $6,000.
• Case No. 192.—Thomas Riley was arrested and detained for six weeks. He was awarded $890.
• Case No. 272.—Joseph M. P. Nolan was arrested in October, 1861, on the charge of disloyalty, and detained until August, 1863. He was awarded $8,600.
• Case No. 285.—John F. Parr was arrested October 20, 1861, and discharged in February, 1862, without trial. He was awarded $4,800.
• Case No. 443.—George F. Canty was arrested December 24, 1863, and was confined in Fort Lafayette until March 4, 1864, when he was discharged without trial. He was arrested upon the ground that he was purchasing arms for the Confederates, but the charge was not sustained. He was awarded $15,700.

The question of interest on the amount of indemnity arises in all four of the cases. To award to the claimants the amount of the indemnity alone would not be to make to them restitutio in integrum. If it is found that indemnity is due to the owners of a vessel for her confiscation, made nine years previously, and it is decided to award to them to-day only the value of the vessel, this would not be to make restitution to them for their entire losses, for they have lost not only the value of the vessel but also the ability to earn, either by means of the services of their vessel or with the equivalent capital.

In cases of this nature the principle of allowing a just rate of interest on the indemnity is so universally recognized as to preclude the necessity of argument upon the subject.

In his award in favor of the John S. Bryan for the payment of interest on the amount of the indemnity due by the Brazilian Government the arbitrator said:

“The principle on which this sum is awarded has long been settled.”

Among the numerous cases in which tribunals of arbitration have allowed interest in their awards the following may be cited:

The commission appointed according to the treaty of 1794 between the United States and Great Britain allowed interest on all the claims.

In the Chinese indemnity arbitration the commission allowed interest at the rate of 12 per cent.

The decisions of the American and English claims commission, under the treaty of Washington of 1871, included interest in all the awards, with some few exceptions.

The Geneva tribunal of arbitration in the “Alabama claims” included interest in every case in its award, as also in the arbitration of the claims of the United States against Mexico and against Brazil.

In the case of the Costa Rica Packet the distinguished arbitrator awarded to the claimants interest at the rate of 8 per cent.

In the recent arbitration (1897) between the United States of America and Great Britain upon the claims arising out of seizures in the Bering Sea interest was universally allowed.

The Government of the United States of America therefore submits to the honorable arbitrator the following statements of claims, in the full confidence that they are well founded and perfectly just.

Herbert H. D. Peirce.