It is true that Her Majesty's Government qualified its acceptance of the rules to be applied in determining its responsibility by inserting an explanation in the Treaty of the following tenor: "Her Britannic Majesty has commanded her High Commissioners and Plenipotentiaries to declare that Her Majesty's Government cannot assent to the foregoing rules as a statement of principles of international law which were in force at the time when the claims mentioned in Article I. arose, but that Her Majesty's Government, in order to evince its desire of strengthening the friendly relations between the two countries and of making satisfactory provision for the {311} future, agrees that, in deciding the questions between the two countries arising out of those claims, the Arbitrators should assume that Her Majesty's Government had undertaken to act upon the principles set forth in these rules." And it is also true that, while, according to the letter of the Treaty, the United States Government was left unfettered as to the character of the claims which it might lay before the Arbitrators, Her Majesty's Government had been led to expect more moderation in this respect than the popular sentiment in the United States seemed to indicate. [Sidenote: The arbitrators, agents and counsel.] The two Governments and the high personages invited by them proceeded in due time to appoint the Arbitrators. The President of the United States appointed Mr. Charles Francis Adams; Her Majesty named Chief Justice Alexander Cockburn; the Italian King designated Count Frederic Sclopis; the President of the Swiss Confederation designated Mr. Jacob Staempfli, and the Emperor of Brazil named the Baron d'Itajubá. The President of the United States also appointed Mr. J. C. Bancroft Davis as the agent of the United States before the Tribunal, and Mr. Caleb Cushing, Mr. William M. Evarts and Mr. Morrison R. Waite as counsel. Her Majesty's Government also appointed Lord Tenterden as the agent of Great Britain before the Tribunal, and Sir Roundell Palmer as chief counsel. [Sidenote: Organization of the Tribunal and filing of the cases.] On the 15th of December, 1871, the Arbitrators organized the Tribunal at Geneva with Count Frederic Sclopis in the chair as presiding officer, and with Mr. Alexander Favrot as secretary. The printed case of each of the high contracting parties was filed immediately by the agent of each, and the Tribunal ordered the counter cases to be filed {312} on or before the 15th day of the following April. The Tribunal then adjourned to June 15th following, unless sooner called together by the secretary. [Sidenote: The controversy between Mr. Fish and Lord Granville.]