The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-09-27
CANAL TO Be COMPLETED
HAS \ CONCESSION BEEN GIVEN
TO ENGLAND?
The French are at Work Enlisting
Private Capital-Obligations of the
United States.

The attention of Senior julia Rem
gifo, the diplomatic, representative of
the Republic of Colombia at Washing
ton, has JUST been called to reports
that Colombia has granted a conces-
sion to England to complete the Pan
anna canal, thus transferring the mann
moth enterprise from French to Eng
fish hands.
1t appears that the original conces,
sion from Colombia was to private
French company, great care being ia
ken that no special privileges should
be given to particular country. as
that would be manifestly "A violation
of the Monroe doctrine, which it is
known the United States would not
have tolerated. For this reason the
concession gave no rights to the gov
eminent of France, but it was particu-
larly stipulated that the canal should
for all time remain neutral and be
open to the ships of all the nations of
the world, without preference or dis
elimination. This concession is still in
existence, having twice been renewed.
and an extensive amount of work has
been done under it.
|. The entire route is about forty-sIX
miles, and up to 1888 the company had.
succeeded in opening a navigable wa
terway about seventeen kilometers in
length on the Atlantic side, while
about seven or eight alilometers had
been cut to a navigable depth on the
Pacific side. At that time from IL. 900
to $4,000 men were employed on the
huge undertaking. Then came a pc
riod of depression. following troubles
which occurred in Paris in connection
with the company, and the work fell
off
1t is not doubted. however. that the.
French company is enlisting private
capital in the enterprises wherever 1t
can secure it, either in England, the
! United States, France or any other
country.
The main interest the United Sta,es
has in the enterprise is that of keep
| ing it from passing into the control of
a foreign government. and officials say
there is no possibility of such a con-
tingency, owing to the policy of CO.
lOmbia. as shown by the concession. to
keep the canal neutral and thereby to
avoid any possible question involving
the Monroe doctrine.
OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNITED
STATES.
An official of the State Department
said that the obligations of the Unit
ed States with respect to the lsthmus
of Panama are clearly stated in the
thirty-fifth article of the treaty of
New Granada of 1916, which is as fol-
lows:
1.-The United States of America and
the Republic of New Granada desiring
to make as durable as possible the re-
lations which are to be established
between the two parties by virtue of
this treaty have declared soemnly and
do agree to the following points:
''First. For the better understand
ing of the preceding article, it is, and
has been stipulated between the high
contracting parties, that the citizens,
vessels and merchandise of the United
States shall enjoy in the ports of New
Granada, including those of the part
of the Granadian territory generally
denominated Isthmus of Panama,
from its southernmost extremity un-
til the boundary of Costa Rica all the
exemptions, privileges and immune
| ties, concerning comerce and, naviga
ton which are now or may hereafter
be, enjoyed by Granadian citizens,
their vessels and merchandise; and
that this equality of favors shall be
made to extend to the passengers, the
correspondence and merchandise of
| the United States, in their transit
across the said territory, from one sea
to the other.
The government of New Granada
guarantees to the government of the
United States that the right of way or
transit across the Isthmus of Pana-
ma, upon any modes of communica
ton that now exist. or that may be
hereafter constructed, shall be open
and free to the government and cti-
zens of the United States, and for the
transportation of any articles of pro-
duce, manufactures or merchandise of
lawful commerce belonging to the cit
liens of the United States, and that no
other tolls or charges shall be levied
or collected upon the citizens of the
United States or their said merchan-
disc thus passing over any road or ca
nal that may be made by the gover,i-
ment of New Granada or by the au-
thority of the same than is under the
like circumstances levied upon and
collected from the Granadian citizens;
that any lawful product, manufact-
ures or merchandise belonging to cit
liens of the United States thus pass
ing from one sea to the other, in eth
er direction, for the purpose of eXpor-
tation to any foreign country, shall
not be liable to any import duties
whatever; or, having paid such duties,
they shall be entitled to drawback up
on their ,eXportation; nor shall the
citizens of the United States be liable
to any duties, tolls or charges of any
kind to which native citizens are not
subject for thus passing the said 18TH
mus. And, in order to secure to them
selves the tranquil and constant en-
joyment of these advantages, and as
an especial compensation for the said
advantages, and for the favors they
have acquired by the fourth, fifth and
sixth articles of this treaty, the Unit
ed States. guarantee positively and eff