DAMAGES CLAIMED BY GREAT BRITAIN. 227 



appraisals were fair and showed the substantial and fair value of the 

 property is evidenced by the fact that, although the owners of the ves- 

 sels had the privilege of releasing them upon bonds, none of them, ex- 

 cept the Sayward, were so released, although application was made 

 to have their valuation reduced in order that the owners might give 

 bonds. 1 



We might follow the analysis of different items of these claims and 

 successfully show that they are all very much exaggerated, but do not 

 deem it necessary to do so, because we feel sure the members of this 

 Tribunal will take notice of the fact that individuals in making claims 

 against a government, whether it be their own or a foreign government, 

 invariably expand these claims to the largest amount their consciences 

 will possibly tolerate. 



H. W. Blodgett. 



1 Senate Doc. 10G, 50th Cong., Second Sess., pp. 28, 74. 



