The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-05-04
The Interoc. lnic CaraI.

Inc interOct lntc Canal.
The practical success Of the S icz Canal in
the receipt at Liverpool Of bulky material
Ike cotton In forty odd days from Bonn
bay, IL matter Of direct and vital interest
TO thi, country. Il means TINT unless we
can, by the opening of somc such ship canal
on this continent, countcrbalanco the current
Of commerce established by way of suez,
Europe and Asia can exchange their CON-
modities withou. our having any finger in
the pic.
Advices from Bogota to the 10th ult.. re-
ceived here last Wednesday, give us but
little ground 10 expect that the treaty ex-
ccuted between the Cabinets Of Washington
and Bogota for the opening Of the inter
oceanic canal in the territories Of tho United
States of Colombia will be approved by the
Colombian Congress. But whether Darirn.
Panama, Nicaragua, or Tehuantepeo be
ultimately selected fur tho line, some In.
tcroccanic canal across tropical America
has become Indispensable to our COM
merce. Meanwhile assertions have APP
pearcd in some Of our Contemporaries TO the
effect that tho British Minister in Washing
ton, acting in accordance with instructions
from the British Foreign Oiice, would pro-
test against come clauses in this Colombian
treaty which conflict with that Of CLAYTON
and BULwER in 1850.
This last treaty was entered into ut the
urgent solicitation of American capitalists.
who before determining to invest their money
in slip canal across Nicaragua, desired to
tional questions or wars should in no wise
leopard their property. The original pro-
ject Of q ship canal fell through, because il
was little ahead Of the age The estimate
Of thirty three millions of dollars TO be ex-
pended in its construction WINS considered
an outlay unwarranted by the commerce of
twenty years ago. To-day the construction Of
q canal somewhere between the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans is Indispensable to us, if IL
costs Ave times M much.
1t is an error TO say that the CLAYTON.
BULwEn treaty does not cover q canal by
way Of Darien. The eighth article distinctly
states that "The Governments Of the United
States and Great Britain having not only
desired, in entering this convention, 70 &C.
complish particular object, but also TO
establish q general principle, they hereby
agree TO extend their protection, by treaty
stipulatioDs 10 any other practicable commu-
nications, whether by canal or railroad,
across The isthmEs tahich connects North and
South America, especially the interoceanic
communications, should the same prove TO
be practicable. whether by canal or railway,
which are now proposed TO be established by
the way Of Tehuantepcc or Panama"
This convention, however, simply binds
the contracting powers to afford protection
aprotection which ali other nations are in.
vited to assist in affording, and which more
than one foreign Government has since con-
CURED in-while such canal Is building,
and afterwards as long as tho parties con.
strueting or owning the same shall impose no
other conditions of traffic thereupon than the
aforesaid Governments shall approve of as
just and equitable, and as long as said canals
or railways shall be open to the citizens and
subjects of the United States and Great
Britain on equal terms"
The treaty further stipulates that either
party may withdraw the stipulated protec.
ton by giving six months notice, " in case of
unfair discrimination in favor of the com.
merce Of one of the contracting parties over
the commerce Of the other, or by imposl no
oppressive e1actions or unreasonable tolls
upon passengers, vessels, goods, wares, mer.
chandise, or other articles" Both of
the contrasting powers also agree not to
acquire, fortify, hold, or exercise dominion
over any territory through which the canal
may pass, and this article ia not violated by
the Colombian treaty.
Advices from Caledonia Bay TO the 10th
inst go far TO prove that the idea of con.
structing canal by amy line through the
isthmus Of Darien will have to be abandoned
as impracticable. There will then remain
the istllmus of Tchuantepec and that Of
Nicaragua, With regard to the former some
Of our most distinguished citizens, includ ng
Mr.. MARSHALL o. RoBERTs and Mr. MOSES
TAYLOR. have been in Washington petition.
ing for Government survey of that line, and
we trust it will be accorded them. But whether
that route be found the best, or whether we
are obliged to fall back upon the original
route through Nicaragua, the canal we must
have and 1t cannot be constructed except
under the guarantees Of the CLAYTON. Bull
WEIR treaty.
The Arcade Railway.