New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-10
MP RLaTNE,S DJPLONACY

MR. BLAINE'S DIPLOMACH
The English editors have discovered that Mr..
Blaine's arguments in relation to the Panama
Canal had serious side. When the corre-
spondence was originally published they pro-
fesscd to be highly amused by the work of
" diplomatic amateur" The sterner mOralists
were shocked by so shameless display OF
Ignorance" @bad manners" and Yankee
smartness - on the part of Foreign Secretary
who apparently had not learned the rudiments OF
international law. Croakcrs and satirists were
agreed Oh one point-that Lord Granville III
replying to Mr.. Blaine completely Iefuted the
American argument. Yet strangely enough,
q large section of the English press is applying
Mr.. Blaine's " scatterbran logic to the Suez
Canal The Spectator, for example, has pro-
posed that England should be vested with the
warlenship of the canal and be empowered to
station permanent garrisons at Port SAID ana
Suez These are the lines on which the Amerl-
can Secretary of State would have settled the
Panama Cacal question. lie claimed for our
Government the privilege Vf keeping garrisons
at the mouths of the canal and of invading the
adjacent territory when occasion should re-
auire "The one conclusive mode" he wrote,
@of preserving any isthmus canal from the
@possible distraction and destruction of war is
to place it under the control of that Govern
amcnt least likely to be engaged in war, and
cable in any and every event to enforce that
Guardianship which it will assume. The
OUnited States offer by such control that absolute
naturalization of the canal respecting Euro
"pean Powers which can in no other way be GER
talnly attained and lastingly secured" The
argument which Lord Granville was credited
with refuting so successfully ten months ago
is now taken up by large majority of English
journals and pronounced worthy OF the most
serious and deliberate attention.
Mark another fact The English journals are
unable to Justify their own action In Egypt ON
the grounds defined by Lord Granville in his re-
plies to Mr. Blaine's letters; nor can they make
an effective use of the Clayton Bulwer Treaty
as a precedent in determining the future OF the
Suez Canal. The PaH Mall Gazette, in Oppos-
ing the wardenship plan on the score that the
permanent occupation of the terminal points
of the canal would be contrary to the whole
spirit of Mr. GadstOne's policy, suggests that
the channel and its approaches shall be ex-
empted by international action from all naval
or military operations. The war-shlps and
transports shall be free to go in and out at all
times. but no act of bolligerency shall be per-
United within the lsthmus, or within three
miles of Port Said on the one hand or of Suez
aon the other" This would be literal appli-
cation of the principles of the Clayton Bulwer
Treaty. If there should be Il war between
Great Britain and the United States, the vessels
of either beligerent would be by this treaty ex-
empt from BLOCKADE, detention or capture
within the channel and distance of three miles
from either mouth and the adjacent territory
could not be invaded. Lord Granville suggested
that the United States by calling an interna-
tional congress might make this principle binding
upon the European Powers. In like manner, The
Pail Mall Gazette favors the adoption of a SINH
lar rule IN relation to the Suez Canal preclud-
ing any act of belligerency within the channel
and the country through which it passes. But
1t is forced to admit that " it is easy to point out
the anomalies of such an arrangement" 1t is
so easy to do it that the scheme is utterly i'm
practicable. The Clayton Bulwer rule would
render such campaign as has recently been
swaged in Egypt, with the canal as IL base of ope-
rations, glaring violation OF international law.
English prestige on the Nile is now based Oh the
assurance of repetition of the campaignff there
be another military revolt, or the influence of
any other foreign Power becomes predominant
there. IL is idle to suppose that Mr.. Glad
stones Government will impair that prestige by
international action which may precludeimilitary
OF naval operations on the lsthmus
Of one thing, therefore, Americans may be
sure. In relation to the Suez Canal Lord Gran
vile will not act upon the benevolent advice
which he gave to Mr.. Blaine regarding the
Panama Canal. On the contrary, if the warden
ship of the Suez Canal be accorded to Great
Britain, with the privilege of occupying and
fortifying Port Said and Suez, Mr.. Blaine's
position in the Panama controversy will be logi
cally affirmed, SO far rs analogy goes. English
editors with quick perceptions, like Mr.. John
Morley, appreciate this fact, and give warning
that Lord Granville "after repudiatng that
"doctrine in his controversy with Mr.. Blaine
cannot adopt it as principle of action at
@Suez" For diplOmatlst whose work was
originally pronounced Ignorant" and
aamuteurish," Mr. Blaines argument seems to
have borne the practical tests Of time and ex-
perience remarkably well.
------
IMPORTANCE OF REGISTERING THIS YEAR
To-day is the first day of registration in this