The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-03

One of the most interesting and valuable
Of recent contributions to the historical and
political records Of the United States is
James Morton Callahan's Neutrality of
the American Lakes and Anglo-American
Relations" recently published under the
auspices Of Johns Hopkins University, with
which the author, who is an Indianian, is
connected. Although in the treaty in which
tie new nation was acknowledged by Great
Britain, the lakes were the northern boun-
dairy, its rights in the Northwest and in
these lakes were not secured until the me-
gotiation of the treaty of Client, in De-
cember, 1914. Then two nations faced each
other on opposite sides Of the chain of in
land seas. Professor Callahan shows that
it was after this treaty that the American
peace policy, as he calls it, was inaugu-
rated The country had had enough OF war.
1t is not probable that the war of 1872
could have been avoided. The party of JEFF
ferson did not desire to avoid it, but when
it was over, Jefferson was not only for
peace, but, to use his own words, was try
ing to eradicate the war feeling which the
newspapers had nourished." He and other
statesmen of that period foresaw that with
the rival navies, recently built upon the
lakes there was danger Of future collisions
which might endanger our peace with
England. It was their purpose to escape
such dangers, and so they proposed to the
British government disarmament or the
dismantling OF both navies on the lakes.
Under the Madison administration, while
John Quincy Adams was minister to the
court Of st. James, such a proposition was
made. President Madison desired a clean
sweep of all war-lil1e vessels. but the prop
osition submitted to the British govern
ment was thar the force on the lakes be
reduced to one vessel on Lake Champlain
one on Lake Ontario, and two on the upper
lakes of one hundred tons each, with an
eighteen-pound cannon. This force was to
be restricted to the enforcement of the rev.
enue laws, the transportation of troops and
goods and such other service as would not
interfere with the armed vessels of the
other party. This agreement was not a.
treaty. and it could be annulled upon six
months notice.
As the fleets in the lakes could not be
taken to the Atlantic the vessels were
practically destroyed first being dismantled
and finally sunk. Such was the fate of the
fleet of the gallant Perry. Each govern
ment since that time has jealousy watched
the other TO see that it complies with the
terms of its agreement. Now and then
IL would be reported to one government
that the other was breaking the agree
ment. but inquiry developed that its sus-
picions were groundless. In 1887, during
internal trouble in Canada, and when the
participation of American sympathizers
threatened international peace. the British
hired some steamers, but when doing so
informed the United States that 1t had been
found necessary to equip temporarily
larger force than was authorized by the
agreement Of 1877. In 1S41. when Congress
built the Michigan and put her in Lake
Erie, her size and armament caused re-
nonstrance from the British minister, but
It was represented that the change from
sail to steam justified a revision of the
agreement as regards the size of the yes
sells. The strained relations between Eng
land and the United States during the civil
war caused snother British protest in re-
gard to the Michigan. but when the Con-
federates practically captured a steamer
opposition Waa dropped That led Conxress