ALABAMA CLAIMS. 163 



sation, inasmucL. as they depend in tlieir nature upon 

 future and uncertain contino;encies:" 2. "In order to 

 arrive at an equitable compensation for the dama- 

 ges which have been sustained, it is necessary to set 

 aside all double claims for the same losses, and all 

 claims for 'gross freights' so far as they exceed 'net 

 freights;' " 3. "It is just and reasonable to allow in- 

 terest at a reasonable rate." 



Finally, the Tribunal, deeming it preferable, in ac- 

 cordance with the sj)irit and the letter of the Treaty 

 of Washington, to adopt the form of adjudication of 

 a sum in gross rather than to refer the subject of 

 compensation to Assessors, concludes as follows : 



"The Tribunal, making use of the authority conferred upon 

 it by Article VII. of the said Treaty, by a majorityi of fou r 

 voices to^onej_a^vards_to_i]i£jQjiitfid-^tates the sum of fifteen 

 millions five hundred thousand dollars in gold as the indemni- 

 ty to be paid by Great Britain to the United States for the 

 satisfaction of all the claims referred to the consideration of the 

 Tribunal, conformably to the provisions contained in Article 

 VII. of the aforesaid Treaty. 



" And, in accordance with the terms of Article XI. of the 

 said Treaty, the Tribunal declares that ' all the claims referred 

 to in the Treaty as submitted to the Tribunal are hereby fully, 

 perfectly, and finally settled.' 



" Furthermore, it declares that each and every one of the said 

 claims, whether the same may or may not have been presented 

 to the notice of, or made, preferred, or laid before the Tribunal, 

 shall henceforth be considered and treated as finally settled, 

 barred, and inadmissible." 



It deserves to be remembered that the British Ar- 

 bitrator, and he alone, refused to sign the Decision. 

 No good reason appears to justify this refusal, seeing 



