196 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



APPENDIX K. 



COPY OF RECEIPT FOR PAYMENT OF ALABAMA CLAIM* 



I give below a copy of a famous historical document which has a special 

 interest for my Nova Scotia readers on account of its connection with Sir 

 Edward Mortimer Archibald, a member of a distinguished Nova Scotiau 

 family (see supra, p. 21). Sir Edward was the fifth son of Judge S. G. W. 

 Archibald, and after holding several important official positions for many 

 years in Newfoundland he was appointed in 1857 British Consul at New York, 

 and held this responsible office for twenty-two years, until he was obliged to 

 retire at the age of 70 on a pension, in accordance with the rules of the con- 

 sular service. He was made; consul-general in 1871, a Companion of the Bath 

 at the close of ithe civil war during which he gave constant evidence of his 

 signal ability, and a Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George on his 

 retirement from office. The following facts will explain his connection with 

 tlu,' payment of the Alabama award. 



The accompanying certificate is a facsimile of that obtained from the 

 Secretary of the Treasury of the United States upon the occasion of the pay- 

 ment in full of the fifteen million five hundred thousand dollars indemnity 

 for the "Alabama" claims which the Geneve Conference of September 14, 

 1872, awarded to them on the part of Great Britain. 



As will be seen by the endorsements thereon, the great banking firms of 

 Drexel, Morgan & Co., Morton, Bliss & Co., and Jay Cooke & Co. made a con- 

 tract with the British Government to pay this award on or before the 14th 

 September, 1873. 



Sir Edward .Thornton, H. B. M.'s Minister at Washintgon and Consul- 

 General Archibald of New York were appointed joint agents to pay over the 

 indemnity. 



During three months previous to this event Consul-General Archibald was 

 constantly receiving instalments of the amount, in the form of numerous 

 partial payments, which were deposited with the U. S. treasurer and for which 

 coin certificates were issued. The whole transaction was one involving no 

 small responsibility and actual work in accounting and correspondence with 

 ztie U. S. Treasury, as in the whole of this important transaction, the Secre- 

 tary of State, Mr. Hamilton Fish, absolutely declined to have anything what- 

 ever to do with the bankers employed by the British Government, and all 

 communications were therefore made only through H. B. M.'s representative 

 at Washington. When the amount was complete and the final deposit to be 

 made, it was Consul-General Archibald who proceeded with it to Washington, 

 and in the presence of Sir Edward Thornton, Secretary Fish and Assistant- 

 Secretary Davis handed over the last amount to U. S. Treasurer Richardson, 

 and received from his hands (after surrendering all previous certificates of 

 deposit) the single one, covering the entire amount, of which this is a fac- 

 simile. 



A leading New York paper, commenting upon the situation, says of the 

 document that "the series of distinguished endorsi'nients make it an historical 

 document, which, when cancelled and filed away, will cause it to be much 

 enquired after by curious visitors. The presence of the official representatives 

 of the two greatest nations in the world — " made a picture for history " — and 

 the article concludes by saying — "Everyone here looks upon the notable event 

 as the last feature in the greatest victory of peace." 



