New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-31
RrNORED TERMS OF ALLIANCE.

RUNORED TERMS OF ALLIANCE.
The Washington correspondent OF THE Lon
don Daily Telegraph sends to his paper
somewhat detailed forecast OF the terms OF
treaty Of alliance between Great Britain ana
the United States, which, he says. Is Dclns
discussed II not actually negotiated his re-
mort NAV or may not be authentic Most men
will think it IS not. They will reckon IL eA-
ceedngly doubtful that formal written ALI
ance is row under practical consideration.
Nevertheless, stranger things than that nave
proved to be true. In the mean time glance
at the ALLEGED provisions OF the convention VIII
not be devoid Of interest
First we are told. Great Britain Is to recog-
nize the Monroe Doctrine and the American IN
tcrprctaton thereof, and is not to seek extern
sion Of her territorial possessions IN TINS hehi-
sphere. WHY not? Great Britain originally
suggested, II she did not formulate. the Monroe
Doctrine and has repeatedly expressed her
cordial approval Of It. Between her lnterpre-
totion of It and our own there Is no material
difference AS to territorial extension, abe has
again and again disclaimed intention OF making
any, her demands In the only three quarters
where such extension has been deemed pos
sbe-to wit Venezuela, Honduras and Alaska
being merely for ascCrtanment or disputed
boundaries and enforcement Of long-exstng
rights SO far as those provisions are con-
cerned therefore there is already substantial
agreement between the two nations.
The next item Is that the United States Is TO
build the Nicaragua Canal, and that Great
Britain Is TO have the use Of 1t In time OF war
That implies abrogation or modification or me
Buwer-C Clayton treaty. But again, why not!
That treaty has long been more honored in the
breach than IN the observance Both Govern
ments have repeatedly expressed wish 10 ne
rid of II. And Il has long been tacitly agreed
that dual building OF the canal Is impracticable
and that this Nation shall be free 10 do the job
alone Just as soon as It can summon up enough
enterprise and energy. Use OF 1t In time or
war would naturally be granted to Great Brit
ain. tust as the use Of the Suez Canal Is granted
10 us. OF course we should not leave 1t open
10 any Power hostile to us. and, OF course,
Creot Britain will not be hostile 10 Us. And
II "a BY no means inconceivable that our IN
terests and those Of Great Britain would be so
nearly Identical that should be constrained
to close II to any Power hostile 10 her. For
WAR waged against Great Britain IN American
waters could scarcely avoid concerning US very
deeply, and that In manner that would lead
rs to sympathize with Great Britain and to
make common cause With her. This rumored
provision Is therefore IN line with tho natural
policy OF this Nation.
As to the United States having all the terri
tory II takes from Spain in this war. provided
It wants to keep It. that goes without saying
No suggestion TO the contrary would be for
moment tolerable The Telegraphs" report
Is that Great Britain ia to protect the United
States in such possession II It should he threat
ened by other Powers. Well. It Is scarcely con-
cevable that Il ever will be threatened. lY 1t
should be, the United States would doubtless
be able TO maintain It's rights without assist
ance. Nevertheless, 1t would be natural for
Great Britain to stand by this country. For any
attack upon the manifest rights Of the United
States IN that matter would be an attack upon
the common law OF nations, which 1t would be
hoove every law-abiding nation to resist So
on that point this rumor merely reafirms es-
tabshed facts.
Finally, the United States Is TO stand by
Great Britain in her policy in China and the
East and all British ports In that region are
to be open to Americans under the most-fa-
vored- nation clause. All British ports are al
ready thus open. and will. Of course remain
So That Is a fundamental principle of Brit
ish policy with which the United States Is IN
exact accord, and to which 1t has long been
giving its fullest moral support. This Nation
has already made it perfectly evident that It
stands by Great Britain In her Eastern pol
| icy, most unreservedly and emphatically. It
is scarcely to be anticipated that anything more
than moral and diplomatic support will
be necessary. British policy seems to be hold
Ing It's own there pretty effectuay. But in the
deplorable and improbable contingency Of a
| physical struggle II must be remembered that
| the United States not only has vast CONNER
cal interests In Eastern ASIA but has great
territorial possessions there as well, and that
/ her commercial and territorial interests are 80
closely associated 81 'ose OF Great Britain
that an attack upon one would almost in
evitably be at least grave menace to the
other.
There are some other provisions, one for an
arbitration treaty, and one removing restr1c-
tons upon building warships on the Great
Lakes. But these are matters upon which no
contention Is to be expected. The four points
we have named in detail are the salient feat
ures of the alleged scheme. And as we have
shown, in announcing them the correspondent
Is merely saying IAN undsputed thing in such
a solemn way" So far the alleged treaty which
the correspondent has discovered merely re-
peats understandings that already exist and
have already been acted upon by both nations
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MI.