ALABAMA CLAIMS. 163 
sation, inasmuch as they depend in their nature upon 
future and uncertain contingencies ;” 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 spirit 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 majority of four 
voices to one, awards to the United States 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 ofall 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 
