Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-12-24
NEW YORK, Dec. 18.-The Tribune
this morning publishes the Nicaragua
treaty with President Arthur's message
tn tho Gopa4o in roOar1 tn II

to the Senate in regard to it:
The treaty provides for the construction main@
tenance and control of an inter oceanic canal IN
the territory of Nicaragua 1t is to be govern.
ment and not a corporation enterprise. The
United States government Will furnish the capital
required for constructing the canal, and both
governments will own and control the waterway.
The United States will have full power to select
the route and entrance works and to arrange all
practical details of construction, the establish
ment of railway and telegraph lines and the loca-
ton of all necessary engineering works. AT the
same time the United States will assume the re-
sponsibility of defending the territory through
which the canal passes.
Article provides that there shall be q perpet-
ual alliance between the United States of America
and the Republic of Nicaragua and the former
agrees to protect the integrity OF the
territory of the latter. The canal is to
be constructed to admit vessels of the
largest size, and command United STATES COM
merce for the purpose of carrying out the treaty.
Nicaragua agrees to give the United States free
use of Lake Nicaragua, furnish free of cost all
spaces necessary for the construction, mainte-
nance and use of the canal and for future enlarge
ment, wherever located and required for use in
the business of the canal, including railway
from one terminal of the canal to the other SUBJ
stantially parallel to aud near the bank of the
canal and along the southern shore of Lake Mica
ragua, together with telegraph line-should the
United States decide to construct said railway or
telegraph line, or both-which shall be regarded
for all the purposes of this treaty part of the
canal so long as they are maintained.
Article says the work will be declared one of
public utility and for the purposes of building
and operating the canal railway and telegraph
line the Republic of Nicaragua undertakes to ex-
propriate lands belonging to individuals. Any
private property and real estate actually held by
individuals or corporations which shall be taken
or used by the United States for the construction
of the canal or its accessories or for their MAIN
tenance shall be SO taken upon condemnation
and appraiSement of value of such property.
The governments of the United States will pay
the owners thereof the value fixed by the COM
mission assessors, comprising three members,
one of whom shall be appointed by the President
the United States, one by the President of Mic
aragua and the third chosen by these two
Jointly. The United States, or the board of man.
ayers hereafter provided for, as the case may be,
shall have the right to take from the public
lands of Nicaragua any material whatever need
ed for the construction, preservation, mantle
nance and use of the canal, and of ITS ports, de-
Tendencies, accessories and equipments. When
the materials are taken from private lands the
United States or said board of managers shall en-
Joy in their use all the rights the Republic of
Nicaragua enjoys by law and usage.
Article sets aside strip ofland two and one
half miles in width, the middle of which shall
coincide with the middle line of the canal, and
where the railroad must of necessity pass out
side of this strip another strip quarter of mile
each side of the railroad line shall also be set
aside.
Article provides that no customs tolls or other
taxes of any kind shall be levied by Nicaragua
upon any vessel passing the canal, it being in the
interest of the agreement that vessels their c9r-
goes passengers, baggage, and crew shall pass
the canal free of any charge other than that i'm
posed upon the two owners of the work. Mica
ragua can provide policy of force to- prevent
smuggling, The cost of which shall be paid by the
canal. Observation-Disclosures or unloaded-in
any part of the canal or its accessories, coming
from or destined to Nicaragua, and intended for
sale, shall pay dues for expectation and 1mpOr-
tation fixed by the revenue laws of Nicaragua
Article u provides that all articles necessary
for the construction or repair OF the canal or any
of its accessories shall be imported tree OF DUTY
tax of any kind.
Article Is provides that for and in considera-
ton of the preceding articles, the United States
81 ,orfOa fn
canal and its accessories, including If found ad-
visable, said railway and telegraph line, togeth-
er with all docks, locks, machine-shops, annexes,
machinery feeders, ETC., it being the intent of
this agreement that the United States of America
shall build and complete the canal and every
thing appertainng thereto for the safe and speedy
passage of vessels hereinbefore described, and
for thorough communication between ocean and
ocean, and such loading and repairing as may be
necessary at their sole cost, and without expense
to the government of Nicaragua
Article Il provides that the United States shall
have exclusive control of the construction of the
canal, railways, and telegraph Ine-if the same
be built-and shall be invested with all rights
and powers necessary thereto. The management,
care and protection of the canal and its accessories
If built under general supervision OF the two
governments, shall be entrusted to board OF
managers who shall consist Of six members, three
appointed by the President of the United States
and three by the Republic of Nicaragua. This
board shall be designated soon as the canal is
ready for traffic. 1t shall determine questions by
q majority vote. The chairman OF the board
shall be one of the members appointed by the
President of the United States, and designated as
chairman by him; and in case of a tie the chair
man shall have an additional vote. Thls board
shall be entrusted with the general executive
management of the canal and its accessories, and
shall fix tolls and provide rules and regulations
for the management thereof Their action, how
ever shall be at all times subject to joint direction
by the presidents of the two republics, which they
are bound to implicitly obey. The United States
agrees to begin work within two years, and finish
if within ten years from the beginning.
Article y provides that the United states Will
and by their good offices, if desired, in securing
union of tie five Central American republics
under one representative government, and reor-
ranizatiopo of said republics nationality, be-
ing accomplished the Central American republics
shall have the same rights and bear the same
obligations as Nicaragua has and bears by virtue
Article "a provides for loan to the Nicaragua
government of 81 000 900 to complete certain rail-
WAYS improve the navigation of the River San
Juan so as to aid in the construction of the
canal, the money to be repaid with per cent.
interest on net revenues of the canal. Neither
parties can in any way dispose cf their share OF
the canal.
Following is the Presidents message
to the Senate, accompanying the Mica
raoua treaty:'
To THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATEs-I trans
nit herewith to the Senate, for consideration
with a view to ratification, the treaty signed on
the LIST of December with the Republic of Mica
ragua providing for the construction of an inter
oceanic canal across the territory of that state.
under the conviction that it is impera.
lively demanded by the present and
future political and material interests
OF the United States. The establishment
of water communication between the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts of the Union is necessity
the accomplishment of which, however, within
the territory of the United States Is a physical
impossibility. While the enterprise OF our ciu-
zens has responded to the duty of creating means
OF speedy transit by rail between the oceans
these great achievements are Inadequate
to supply the most jmpOFtant requisite
OF national union and prosperity. FOL
all maritime purposes the, states upon
the Pacific are more distant from those upon the
Atlantic than If separated by either ocean alone
Europe and Africa nearer New York, anC
Asia Is nearer to California than are these two
great sta es TO each other by Weeks of steam
voyage, or months under sail, are consumed
in the passage around the HON." with the dis
advantage of traversing tempestuous waters o.
risking navigation. Of the Straits of Magellan. 4
nation like ours cannot rest satisfied with such
senaration of its mutually dependent mbers
We possess ocean borders of considerable oVe
1o0O6 miles on the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
and including Alaska, Of some 10 600 miles OF
fhe Pacific Within generation the western
coast has developed into an empire, with large
and RAPIDLY growing population, and with vas
lint partially developed resources. AT the pres
nt rate of increase the end ofthe century will
ns a commonwealth of perhaps nearly 10000