Alabama Claims

Alabama Claims, series of claims for indemnity made by the United States upon Great Britain in the winter of 1862-1863, during the American Civil War. The claims were for compensation for damages inflicted on US property by the Confederate steamship Alabama, a vessel weighing more than 900 tonnes that was built at Birkenhead, England. Just before the British government issued an order calling for its detention, the ship put to sea and, over the next two years, captured or destroyed more than 60 US ships. When the Alabama reached Cherbourg, France, for refitting on June 19, 1864, the US warship Kearsarge engaged it in battle outside the port and sank it.

The Alabama claims were not completely settled until 1885. The US claims were based chiefly on the alleged failure of the British government to prevent the building of the Alabama and other Confederate ships, and on the furnishing of supplies to the Confederate ships at British ports. A tribunal of arbitrators, appointed by representatives of the United States, Great Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and Brazil, met in Geneva, Switzerland, from 1871 to 1872. The tribunal decided that Great Britain should pay the United States damages of $15.5 million. Subsequently, two courts of commissioners appointed by the US Congress sat (1874-1876 and 1882-1885) to determine the distribution of the funds received through the Alabama claims. Congress also determined the distribution of other funds included in the award, based on damage caused by the Confederate privateers Florida and Shenandoah.