Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1891-01-29
Aberdeen Herald.
The Nicaragua Canal.

The report of the committee OH foreign
relations, accompanying the Nicaragua
canal bill. recites the fact that time. re-
search and experiment have demon
strated that the only adequate, efficient
and practicable passage across the is,h-
mus is that by way OF Lake Nicaragua.
As early as 1850 the construction of such
a canal seemed to be an immediat, and
urgent necessity, but the British govern
ment had seized the country at the mouth
of the San Juan river. the necessary At
lantic end of the canal. The British
government at that date We're anxious
the United States should not control the
enterprise, and the United States were
quite as solicitcus that an anti-republican
and European government should not
establish itself in America. These con-
siderations led to the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty, under which both governments
bound themselves not to obtain any ex-
elusive control over the canal or ''eolon-
ize or assume or exercise any domain over
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito
Coast, or any part OF Central America"
After reciting these facts the report
argues that this treaty has become obso-
lete, because it was based on the idea OF
the immediate prosecution OF the enter,
prise; that England now controls the
Suez canal and the trade of the east, and
has taken possession OF Balize i'll Hondu-
ras, one of the Central American states.
The proceedings of England have dis
chorged the United States from all and
every one of their declarations and en-
gagements under the Clayton Bulwer
treaty. The committee further argues
that there is nothing in the provisions of
the pending bill inconsistent with any
Of the engagements of the United States
under the English treaty of 1850; that
the treaty of 1867, whereby Nicaragua
granted to the United States the right of
transit on any route, natural or artificial,
between the two oceans is still in force
and wonld justify the United States in
undertaking the construction of the canal.
Comparing the Nicaragua and Welland
canals, the report says the cost Of build
ing and operating the Welland canal is
equal to two-thirds OF the sum that the
Nicaragua canal will cost, while it is OBJ
vious that the tonnage that will pass
through the Nicaragua canal will be
many times greater than that through
the great northern lakes.
There is no reason to doubt that the
Nicaragua canal will be completed within
six years from the date of the passage OF
the bill now pending before. the senate.
The full cost of the work, including inter
est, will be about $4,000 900. The
work is SO great and benefits of its COM
pletion SO transcendant that the commit
tee fairly insist that its execution should
not be left to private enterprise, which Is
always dependent upon its ability to sell
its securities from time to time, and upon
fidelity of the Nicaragua and Costa Rica
governments to their obligations to pro-
tect the contractors in the performance
of their work If completed upon the
existing plan, the amount OF stock and
bonds would, at 5 per Cent, require that
the tolls and income shall yield 81, 5000
Il year, a tax SO heavy on commerce that
it is questionable whether vessels would
use the canal or continue to double Cape
Horn.
The treaty Of 1884, negotiated, but not
ratified, by which the United States was
to build the canal itself, was withdrawn
by President Cleveland, because it was
coupled with absolute and unlimited en-
gagements to defend the territorial integ-
rity of Nicaragua and Costa RIGA. This
objection led to the Menocal concession
which provides that the United States
may aid the company.-Oregonian.