The morning call., 1892-04-21

without a dissenting voice. The Dominican
Government coded to the company the penin-
sula and bay of SANTANA That bay is the
only important harbor on the whole island
coast. The terms of the treaty were such
as TO grant to the company the full control
oil the territory and bay thus coded, and, In
fact, separate government was set up
there, Ii being wholly independent of the
republic Of San Domingo
The property was 10 be paid for In In
stallments of $4,000 each, to be given in
advance on the first day of each year. Soon
after the first installment was paid the
company was permitted to take possession.
and negotiations were made with the
United States by which at an annual rental
OF $4,000 the United States was 20 have
the use OF the harbor as coaling station
and naval rendezvous.
During the latter part of the first year OF
the c0mpaDy's possession of the property
suspicious act on the part of an English gun
boat-the W0odlocS-was observed by the
Americans at SANTANA Bay, and to this act
may be ascriDed the revolution occurring
Immediately afterward which resulted in
the overthrow of the Dominican Govern
ment and the dispoSsession OF the American
company of all It's rights under the treaty.
zone OF the most important clauses of the
treaty was that IN case OF any dispute be-
tween the company and the Government the
matter should be left to arbitration. thus
far the Dominican Government has refused
10 abide by this clause of tho treaty, and
the company has sought aid from the United
States Government 10 compel the D0mini-
cans TO submit this matter To arbitration
our Government has kept alOof.
Now, however, the United States has
navy and It is necessary to provide coaing
stations for it, Ii finds that the bay of
Samana is the most available point at which
TO coal its vessels, because of its excellent
advantages from a marine point OF view.
Engineers have declared it to be the best
stafi In boi
West Indies, as 1t Is easily approached with
out danger from reefs or shoals, while it is
a matter of peril to undertake to reach
many Of the other Islands. SO hemmed in are
they by dangers 10 the navigator.
Another thing the station is in the di-
rect line to the Nicaragua canal and. when
that shall have been opened to navigation,
there will be no better point from which it
can be readily reached from the East 1t is
a good place for q war-yeSSel to lie while
awaiting orders or for any other purpose.
as it is the healthiest of all the islands of
the West Indian group.
In consideration OF these facts it is more
than likely that our Government will take
some decided step toward putting itself in a
wav t. retain its coaliug station there. But
rs | have said, IL can get no clear title to
the station, and. in fact. no title OF any sort.
IL belongs TO the SANTANA Bay Company
under special treaty, and as that treaty is
made with American citizens our Govern
ment Is bound to respect its provisions.
The claims of the company for damages
against the Dominican Government can no
longer be ignored by the State Department
at Washington, and 1t is my belief that
they will come up for action before long.
mr.. Blaine appreciates the situation,
and lie knows that ii Is better for an Ameri-
can company to own the property at the
cOalins station and give the United States
all the necessary cOaling privileges and
make of it n naval rendezvous without COM
ing into possession. than IL is to acquire the
property Under q vitality detective title and
run the risk of having to pay twice for it.
"The United States has the privilege of
maintaining coaling station there, but it
is simply by courtesy of the Dominican
Government, and this privilege may be dis
continued at any day.
''The damages Sc. by the SANTANA Bay
Company against San Domingo are
Sl4.000,000. 1t is out of the question. how
ever. to suppose that the island govern
ment can liqudate that claim.
las you see the company has acquired
very valuable rights in view of the extreme
Importance Of the place as naval station.
1t is not reasonable to suppose that 1t will
readily give up those rights.
80 you now see why the United States
cannot get clear title to the property
which 1t is represented as having virtually
purchased"
During the past 80 years there have been
numerous efforts made by the United States
to obtain naval station in the West Indies.
San Domingo being the only island not
owned by European power, most of the
efforts Of our Government were directed
toward its acquisition. John G. Calhoun
conceived the notion of the acquisition of
San Domingo during the Presidency of
Tyler William Hogan, an ex-CongreSS-
man, was sent to the island to ascertain
how its people might be won over to the
idea Of going under American rule. logan
returned from his mission i'm 1874 and his
report was highly favorable. but political
changes were impending and Calhoun made
no use of the information thus received.
George Il. Mcclellan inspected SANTANA
Bay and surroundings In 1854. and he made
report that the bay was admirably
adapted for the purposes Of naval station.
lie said that it could be easily defended and
could be made well nigh impregnable. A
convention was negotiated with the Govern
ment Of San Domingo for the cession to the
United States OF the bay Of SANTANA and
adjacent lands for So, 000, 600 for so years,
but the convention expired without ratifica-
ton. In 1861 Spain retook the island, but
her troops we're driven out two years later,
and she acknowledged the independence Of
the country.
Secretary Seward visited the Island In
1867 and took steps toward its annexation,
but nothing came Of the movement.
President Grant took up the subject In
1871 and made strong effort toward annex
alton. but 1t was opposed by Charles Sum-
ner and other leading Republicans in the
Senate and was failure.
1t would seem, from the strong endeayor
now being made, that our Government will,
In one way or another. gain control of the
island, although If it pays all the claims of
private corporations it will have a big bill