ALABAMA CLAIMS. 57 



compi't'lientled wltliiu the scope of the Treaty as mahi- 

 tained by tlie United States. 



Wliat Europe dreaded, wliat all European opinion 

 sought to prevent, was a rupture between XJreat Brit- 

 ain and the United States, to disturb tlie money- 

 market of Europe, and impede the payment by France 

 of the indemnity due to Germany. And all men saw 

 that the United States must and would resent the 

 refusal l)y Great Britain to observe the stipulations 

 of the Treaty of Washington. 



rUKSENTATION OF COUNTER-CASKS. 



Such were the circumstances, in the presence of 

 which arrived the time, namely, the 15th of April, at 

 which the two Governments were to file at Geneva 

 their respective Counter-Cases. 



The British Government was so solicitous to fulfill 

 on its part all the stipulations of the Treaty, that it 

 caused special inquiry to be made whether the Amer- 

 ican Government had any objection to Great Brit- 

 ain filing her Counter-Case without prejudice to her 

 position regarding consequential damages; to which 

 Mr. Fish replied that the British Government was 

 bound to file its Counter-Case, but its doing so 

 would not prejudice any position it had taken, nor 

 iiftect any position of the United States. 



Accordingly, on the 15th of April, the Counter- 

 Cases of Great Britain and the United States were 

 duly filed, with express reservation of all the rights 

 of both Governments. 



The British Counter-Case, consisting of four vol- 



