New-York tribune., 1881-12-16
THE INTERoCEANIC CANAL.
WHAT THE UNITED STATES DEMANDS.


IsTER LowEIL-UNEQUAL AND INEQUiTABLh op-
LEGATIONS TO GREAT BRITAIN-wHY THE UNI
TED STATES SHOULD HAVE POLITICAL CONTROL
OF ANY IsTuMUs CANAL.
WAsaINGToN Dec. 10 The following letter OF III
structions from Secretary Blaine i'll reference "
modification of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty was
sent to the Senate to-day by the PrcSdentin answer
to a resolution of that body:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
W,s1ISGTCN Nov 10, 1881.
To JAMES Russell LOWELL esq., etc., etc, London.
SIR In pursuance OF the premises laid down III "a!
circular note of June oath Of this year. toncnlhS %
determination OF this Government with respect "
guarantee of neutrality for the interoeeal' cam
Panama it becomes my duty to cali your attention 10
convention of April 49, 1850 between Great pii."ll
and the United States, commonly known as the '!
Bulwer Treaty -,
According to the articles Of that convention the hGh
cOndIaGnS Pi!Ss. n toiTard mat neither the
the other Will ever obtain, or hl 'a 'oT T
exclusive control over sail ship canal ana that nel1e
VIII ever maintain any iotincalon connfnGmS
the same. in the vicinity thereof III nt
paragraph the high conractlns parIeS ny other
tend their protection by treaty stipuatl"ps 20 aN
practical communications, whether DY canh W m nst"b
across the Isthmus which are now proIos.u =" ,oTo ~
lished by the way Of Tehuantcpcc or I''iaIi' n,,
This convention made more than thirty years HS1
have long since ceased 10 eist-cHndlons Wch al uvSl
were temporary in their nature, ana whlcn can hTHc
reproduced. Ihe renarAaOIo u'N u, va & ~ oricJ
States the Pac hc coast since thai Ilhe mas eIuu
sponsiDiuCS upon IT, the iuli anu ca 70 ~ nc Siy
which requires essential moahcAlons ID .lG N.y
Goyernment involved in ms question in far they
may be properly Judged by the OBSERVATION VI tn
Power, are incOnsldCrdblc III comparison WIN ilo
OF the United States that the President hopes
ment OF the terms of the treaty may be reached III
The respect due to Her Majestys Government demands
that te objections the perpetuty Of the convention
of 1850 as il now exists should be stated with drectness
and with entire frankness Anu aiohE % tne ,f
and papable these is the fact that me oPctlon %
the treaty practically comedies TO Great Brtan te con
troll OF whatever canal may be constructed me is1I
position OF .he home Government WIN itS
lon al possessions. requires the British Empire 10 lh
tam a vast naval establishment. whch IN our eonu-
mental sohdity we do not need ana III @ ue - V ~ o9
shall never create. Ii the United states BINDS ils no
to iorfy on land concedts that Great hGIn I'll M m ,ne
possible case OF struggle Ior tne COMFY W on @ nrnyr
shall the outset have advantage Nlich Nouu PI
decisive and which could not be reversed except oy te
expenditure OF treasure ana force, nc Pre1i en- a
tcntiOn of the treaty was TO place lhe WV .
plane Of perfect equality with respect To- he ca 1Ht
in practice have indicated, this would prove utterly
deusIve aud would instead surrender ~, u hot III Ioi'
The treaty binds the United States not 10 use S mill
tary any precautionary measure whe 1t leaves
~ tb can Il and render It's military occupation land
matter entirely within the discretion oi Her MYeaiy
Government The military power oi the United states,
~ shown by the recent civil war, without limit and in
nv conflict ON tho American continent altogether IRE
sistble The ClaytOn-Bulwer Treaty conimnhhs llls
Government 10 single regiment ol troops 20
nrnect its interests I'm connection with The intrOeeanc
canal but 10 surrender the transit to the guardh,p
ana control OF the British Navy. 10 American 7uInoI
is to quartercd the lnus To protect tT Eu's OF
this country in the iutcrocednic canal S4rry&3y & In9
fair logic of neurity-no war NtNSel "l p%iIa % +i
should permitted TO appear in the waters thA cOHoi
either entrance 10 TIE canal
A MIsCONCEPUON EMBODIED IN THE TREATY.
more comprehensive objection 70 the treaty Is urged
by this Government Its provisions embOdya mtscon
ccption of the relative positions Of Great Britain ana the
United states with respect interests OF each Gov
ernment In questions pertaining to this continent Inc
Government of the United states has occasion 10 ls
ag-rrssive disposition H. cntrr 'viI'l -,
cultivate the most friendly and intimate rratlo's Win
its neyhbOr--both independent anu co"lli'; A. w.
lime this Government with respect 20 Eut"al
states VIII not consent to perprt2e any lrei$ @ m una, ] ,n
peaches rghtful and OnZSIaO!i'hed clam 10 p'oI
| iy on the American continent. - E., .t, i,,,,,
| OF its own Interests the same iorr'h-t, huu ~,
vision which Her MDestys GoVer4m"ht 80 ,hoI
the British Empire: To guard ner E','fI. s l'r
sessions 10 secure the most rapid transit Tor rodp7
and munitions war. and 10 prevent any other nation
having equal hgnnes In thc same uIit'In, ,, 't ,t
Britain holds and fOrthes all the ratcElc points tH
Cyprus her fOrncaons give her the mastery Oh tne
Mediterranean. She hold- controlling interest IN me
Island Perrin, she excludes All other Powers rom I,
Of the Red sea and renders II mdre ci''snHi ~
would i'm the Judgment o. the President he no more u
reasonable for the United States To demand snare ~
these fortmcAuon, OF 10 Ioil ''f, b n t,n,od i'm
peryetuity from United States With respect To thc
transit across the American continent The possessions
winch Great Rr ain thus ear fully guards in Lc East
are not of more Importance to her Than Is the Pacific
slope, with is present Neopnet ana assured Sro"'n
to the Government OF the Uuci States. .
The and Territories appurtcnant TO the Pacific
ana hence directly Interested in the canal, comprise
an area nearly 100000 square miles larger m extent
than the German Empire ana the iour L"un GouniieS
Europe combined. This vast region i, nui larry be
ginning its prosperous development; s,H ih3i-fnh
miles o. railway are alreaHy W..i' II
and il moderate calculation to-day tua Wlln hc cur
rent dccaGe number OF miles viii al least De doubled
In the near IutuIc the money 'aL, az ~ ~, ~ ~ ' ~ -
port will be a. large AZ that oi BRUSH In ~ ana 'r
haps larger Nor must he forgotten that India Il bu
distant COOny OF Great Britain, while the region ou
the Pacific Il integral portion ol our Na"nnl Cl"n
h abitants OF India alien from England IN race, Ian
glltgeand religion. The citizens OF California oregon
own blood and kndred-bOne OF our bone and hesh of
Great Britain appreciates the advantage and PERHAPS
the necessity rniutaning at the cost Of large mill
ronte 10 India while any nation with hostile intent Is
compelled take the longer route ana travel many
thousand additional miles tnrough dangerous seas II u
baTdV conceivable that the same great Power which
considers herself Justified In taking these precautions
for the safety of remote colony on another continent
should object TO the United States adopting similar hut
far less demOnstrative, measures for the pro
lection Of the distant shores OF her own 40
main, for the drawing together OF the ex,
reme of the Union in still closer ponds Of interest and
sympathy and for holding in the quiet denomination OF
honorable selideiencc, the absolute control OF hG
great waterway whch shall unile The two oceans, and
which the United states Will always insist upon treating
as uart her coast line. II hostile movement ~ d
al any made against the Pachc coast threaten
ing danger "a its people and destruction 10 its property
the GOyernment OF the United States would feel
neglectfu to ward It's citizens II it permitted itself
TO be bound by treaty winch gave the same right
sructOn that is reserved TO lts own Navy sailing Tor
The defence OF coast and the protection OF the lives
of our people Ana England Insists by the might OF
her power that her enemies IN war snail stfko her IN
dian pOsscsslOns only by doubling The cape OF GOOd
Hone. the Government United 5tatos Will
equally that tn. interior more speedy and safer
route OF the canal shall be reserved for ourselves We
our enemies il we shah be unfortunate 10
have any shall be remanded 10 the voyage around Cape
Horn.
A MERE AGREEMENT or NEUTRALITY INSUFFICIENT
A consideration of controlling influence in this ques-
ton is the we-settlcd conviction the part Of ths
Government that only by the United States exercising
superysOn can the Isthmus canals be definitely and at
all times secured against the interference and Obstruc
tion incident mere agreement OF neutrality
paar between the great Powers O Europe mxh prove
Intellectual 70 preserve the canal IN time OF hOstiities
The sound Of "a cannon III general European war
.anuLl an nrghnty. annnl ILo trcaN 0I mcnLralILy