e part of Spain, the essential
equity of which could not be gainsaid. In order to cure the defect of
the treaty by removing all possible ground of future misunderstanding
respecting the interpretation of its third article, I directed the
negotiation of a supplementary treaty, which will be forthwith laid
before the Senate, whereby Spain quits all title and claim of title to
the islands named as well as to any and all islands belonging to the
Philippine Archipelago lying outside the lines described in said third
article, and agrees that all such islands shall be comprehended in the
cession of the archipelago as fully as if they had been expressly
included within those lines. In consideration of this cession the United
States is to pay to Spain the sum of $100,000.

A bill is now pending to effect the recommendation made in my last
annual message that appropriate legislation be had to carry into
execution Article VII of the Treaty of Peace with Spain, by which the
United States assumed the payment of certain claims for indemnity of its
citizens against Spain. I ask that action be taken to fulfill this
obligation.

The King of Sweden and Norway has accepted the joint invitation of the
United States, Germany, and Great Britain to arbitrate claims growing
out of losses sustained in the Samoan Islands in the course of military
operations made necessary by the disturbances in 1899.

Our claims upon the Government of the Sultan for reparation for injuries
suffered by American citizens in Armenia and elsewhere give promise of
early and satisfactory settlement. His Majesty's good disposition in
this regard has been evinced by the issuance of an irade for rebuilding
the American college at Harpoot.

The failure of action by the Senate at its last session upon the
commercial conventions then submitted for its consideration and
approval, although caused by the great pressure of other legislative
business, has caused much disappointment to the agricultural and
industrial interests of the country, which hoped to profit by their
provisions. The conventional periods for their ratification having
expired, it became necessary to sign additional articles extending the
time for that purpose. This was requested on our part, and the other
Governments interested have concurred with the exception of one
convention, in respect to which no formal reply has been received.

Since my last communication to the Congress on this subject special
c