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A tribunal of arbitration assembled at Geneva in Switzerland, December 15, 1871, to arbitrate upon the " Alabama" claims. (See art.) The tribunal consisted of Count Federigo Sclopis, of Italy; Viscount Itajuba, of Brazil; Mr. Jacques Staempfli, of Switzerland; Charles Francis Adams, of the United States, and Sir Alexander Cockburn, of England. The tribunal decided that an award of compensation for the " indirect claims " advanced by America was not in keeping with the principles of international law. This preliminary decision was accepted. The tribune also decided that Great Britain had not exercised due diligence in preventing the construction, equipment and provisioning of such ships as the " Alabama;" that $15,500,000 should be awarded in a gross sum to the United States, but no compensation should be made for the pursuit of cruisers or for prospective earnings.