ALABAMA CLAIMS. 1^ 



look Avitli solicltiulc on tlio uneasy relations of the 

 Britlsli (rovcrnnicnt Avitli the United States, and the 

 inconvenience thei'cof in case of possible conipli-.-a- 

 tions in Europe. Thus impelled, the (lovernnient 

 dispatched to AVashington a gentlenian, who enjoyed 

 tlic conlidence of both Cabinets, Sir John Ivose, to as- 

 certain whether o\-crtures for re-opening negotiations 

 would 1)0 received l)y the President in spirit an<» 

 terms acceptable to Great lii'itain. 



It was the second time, in the present generatitiM 

 that the Ibreign policy of .I'higland had been directed 

 by u HenM(( of the imj)ortan('(^ to her of niuiiita'i'iiig 

 good relations \vith l\\v. United KStatch ; i<>r, by ai';,Mi- 

 ing from that ])oint, J^'rance, at the o])ening of war 

 with I'j'ussia, induced ihe Jiriti.sh (lovernment lo de- 

 Hi.st from those excessive belligerent ])retensions to 

 the i)rejudice of rcutrals, wlilch in foi'mer times had 

 served to embroil her with both France and the Unit- 

 ed States. 



There is another fact, which, in my opinion, powei-- 

 fully contributed to induce this overture on the part 

 of the British Government, although it was not spok- 

 en of in this connection by Lord Gi'anville. J allude 

 to the President's recommendation to Corgress to ap- 

 point a commission to audit the claims of Aniericaii 

 citi7X'ns on Great I^ritain growing out of the acts of 

 Confederate cruisers, in view of having them assumed 

 by the Government of the United States. In this in- 

 cident there was matter of c'rave and serious reflection 

 to Great Britain. 



On arrivins? at Washintrtou, Sir John Rose found 



