, 1856-03-14
The CIaytOn.BnlWer Treaty.

As it is a matter of much interest at thi,
time to know precisely what were the terms
of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, we publish
below those articles which refer particular
ly to the Central American question
Art. l. The government Of the United
States and Great Britain hereby declare
that neither the one nor the other will ob.
tain the said ship canal; agreeing that nei
ther will ever erect or maintain any fortiG,
cations commanding the same, or in the vi.
cinity thereof or occupy, or fortify, OF
colonize, or assume, or exercise any domin.
ion over Nicaragua, Costa RicS, the Mos
quito coast, or any part Of Central Ameri.
ca; nor will either make use Of any protec.
ton which either affords or may afford, OF
any alliance which either has or may have,
to or with any state or people, for the pur-
pose Of erecting or maintaining any such
Notifications, or of occupying, fortifyiug or
colonizing Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the
Mosquito coast or any part Of Central
America, or Of assuming or exercising do
minion over the same; nor will the United
States or Great Britain take advantage Of
any intimacy, or use any alliance, connec-
tiOn or influence that either may possess
with any State or government through
whose territory the said canal may pass,
for the purpose Of acquiring or holding,
directly or indirectly, for the citizens or
subjects Of the one, any rights or advaDtS-
ges in regard to commerce or navigation
through the said canal, which shall not he
offered on the same terms to the citizens or
subjects Of the other.
Art. 2. Vessels of the United States
or Great Britain, traversing said canal,
shall in case Of war between the contract
ing parties, be exempted from blockade, de-
tention or capture by either Of the belliger-
ents; and this provision shall extend to
such distance from the two ends Of said
canal as it may hereafter be found expedi-
ent TO establish.
Art. 8. The governments Of the United
States and Great Britain having not only
desired, in entering into this convention,
to accomplish particular object, but aslo
to establish general principle, they hereby
agree to extend their protection by treaty
stipulations to any other practical commu-
nications, whether by canal or railway,
across the isthmus which connects North
and South America, and especially to the
inter-oceanic communications, should the
same prove to be practical, whether by
canal or railway, which are now proposed
to be established by the way Of Tehuante-
pee or Panama. In granting, however,
their joint protection to any such canals or
railways as are by this article specified, il
is always understood by the United States
aud Great Britain that the parties con-
structing or owning the same shall impose
no other charges or conditions Of traffic
thereupon than the aforesaid governments
shall approve Of as Just and equitable; and
that the same canals or railways, being
open to the citizens or subjects of the Uni
ted States or Great Britain on equal terms,
shall also be open on like terms to the citi-
zens and subjects Of every other State
which is willing to grant thereto such pro-
lection as the United States and Great
Britain engage TO afford.