Five And A Half Millions

xnc awaru ot tlie üisncry Uointmssion at Halifax. Rivi"ar dnmngps aerainst the Un tra States o $5,5C0,0CK)fwill betomost o ple iutliii. coULitiytulisHgreeable surprise, 'l'rue, tbe Canadians elahnec damages to nearly tfareo times that :tmuuiit,físiug their estímate, by a curons coincidence, atjustabout the figures of tbe Geneva award for the Alabama claims. But it was geni-rally supposeu here that tbe somewhut shadowy damages sett'orth by the Camdians would be difsipated under a careful analysis, or balanced by onr couuter-claimg. Our euorgetic fisliormen -will have to bestir themselves in tho most lively way, if they are ever to catch enough mackerel and cod off the coasts of the Domiuion to make a surplus pruilt equal to this award. Tliecoüvenienoeofgoing ashore oocasionally with their fish was part of the claim, includiug the privilege of buying bait and cttriogfiah ou the coast. It will be au intc-rcstiiig problcm, which may be reeommeudr'dto themath ematioal ülasses in our public schools, to calcúlate how cfien onrfftilora can make a landing, how many cotlüsh they must snit down on shoro, and how mnch bait they must buy of tiio Oauadianp, todamagt! them to tíio fxtent of- say two outot the five and a half millions. The decisión of tbis quesion of the fïshery claims was left open in the Alabama treaty for a future commission. That comiuission has done its work in accordance with the general rules of arbitration to whioh we have heartily subsiribed. It would be exceediugly improprr for us to object to the verdict, however much it may surprise us. There it really nothing to be" done but to accept it, and pay witii as much giuoe as ive can coinmand. Probably, however, the question of returniug to Enland the unexpended balance of the Geneva award will never be raised again.