New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-27
4 DJPLONdTTC PARALLEL.

4 DIPLOMATIC PARALLEL
The main purpose Of the Clayton Buwcl
Treaty can be understood only when the events
Immediately preceding it are recalled. There
were two attempts al territorial acquisition on
the part Of the rival Powers aspiring to control
the proposed inerOccanc waterway. Mr. Squer
the United States charge dafaireS. incorporated
in n general commercial treaty with Honduras
signed September -, 1Si9. provisions for the
ACQUISITION of Tgrc Island in the Gulf of Fon
SEGA. or an equally good naval station on the
mainland near by. by protocol Honduras
coded the island 10 the United States pending
the ratification or rejection Of the treaty These
stinrl,tions were entered into without instrur-
tons from the State Department. and the treaty
was never acted upon by the Senate. Almost
simultaneously the British Government sel~'l
the same island upon the prctcxt that tho III
tcrest on money which had been lent by English
men TO the Honduras Government was overtime
4 nava, guard was landed in October. lSl9. no,
far from the site Of the present town OF '"rlh'o-
Mr. Sauer protested against this territorial in
yasion. and a disavowal of the proceedings was
rc0uired by Secretary clayton from the British
Foreign Office
These two incidents caused much uneasinesS
both in England and in the niiel states ana
were followed abruptly by the negotiation or the
Clavtou- Bulwer Treaty ON April -. 1870. Both
Mr. Suuiers protocol for the acquisition or the
naval station and the British attempt 10 obtain
indempjfcation for arrears Of interest by seizure
Of territory were repudatNl by the home Gov
crnmpnts. which were content 10 enter into ircGly
engagements for preventing the recurrence II
such proceedings The gold discoveries ana terri
toral ocouisitions on the Pacific coast OF the
United States had lent a Fictitious importance
TO vague schemes for the construction Of an IN
torocean;c waterway. There was a disposition
ON the part Of both the United States and OF
Great Britain to intervene unnecessarily In cen
trail American affairs for the purpose Of acquir-
ing dominion there and Of controlling any canal
which might be constructed The convention
was negotiated for the purpose of recorclling the
policies Of the two nations respecting the canal.
In the first article II was stipulated that neither
marty should be allowed to erect fortiications In
the vicinity Of the canal, or to occupy. or TO COLO
nize or to exercise dominion in any part OF Cen
trail America.
From this retrospect il IS apparent that the I'm
pending seizure Of COrinto repr0duces In all 90
sentlal details the situation In October. 1S4o, from
which was evolved the ClaytOn-Bulwer Treaty
Of April, 1850 A naval guard had then been
landed on Tigre Island from British vessel OF
war nominally for the purpose Of collecting a
debt which was overdue Similar measures have
been devised for enforcing the payment OF an IN
demnity by the occupation OF the Corinto custom
house and the seizure of the revenues. The two
Incidents while separated by an interval OF near
" fifty years are analogous. Each Involves an
attempt on the part Of Great Britain to occupy
territory and to exercise sovereignty and domin-
ION In Central America. The first one led To the
Clayton Bulwer Convention, In which both Pow
erS promised to refrain from occupying territory
and assuming dominion in that quarter OF the
world The second one, If il be enacted accord
ing to the lines OF the British programme, VIII
be wanton violation Of the same treaty.
If President Cleveland and Secretary Gresham
have sanctioned these proceedings in advance,
they have been exceedingly dull and ignorant.
Nothing can be palmer than the fact that Great
| Britain is prohibited by the Clayton-Bulwe:
| Treaty from landing force Of marines at Corin'o
and interfering with the domestic administration
Of the revenues. If that landing occurs for that
| purpose, warning should be given AT once that
Congress will be asked to abroGate the Clayton
| Bulwer Treaty on the ground Of failure on the
| part OF Great Britain to respect It's provisions
If any other policy be adopted, President Clcvc
land and Secretary Gresham will fling away one
Of the best opportunities ever brought within
the range Of American diplomacy. They now
have 1t within their power to outmanocuvre the
British Ambassador, 10 intrcnch themselves on
the high ground OF the Monroe Doctrine, and to
retreat with flying colors from position which
has been untcnabie for nearly fifty years. Tho
Clayton Bulwer Treaty has been the one stupen
| dous blunder Of American diplomacy. 1t will be
a great gain for the United States to be cxtri
| Gated from 1t at last, and TO have the joint pro
tectOrate over the canal dsavowed and rcpudl
| ated