Evening star., 1898-05-30
NO NEGOTIATIONS ON FOOT
Rumors of Possible Alliance With Great
Britain Denied.
Points Claimed to Have been Covered
In the Alleged Trcaty-Reeling in
British OmciaEs Circles.

Careful inquiry at the State Department
and at the British embassy fails to develop
any substantial basis for the supposition
that negotiations are afoot slooking to a
close compact between the United States
and Great Britain covering all possible sub
tects of future differences, comforting spe-
cial trade privileges on both parties, pro-
viding for the joint usa ofsthe Nicaragua
canal, and embracing what would amount
to an alliance. offensive. and defensive, to
the end that Great Britain may enjoy in
peace her Asiatic possessions, while the
United States Will have share Of the
trade in that quarter and will also be Sc
cured in the application of the Monroe doe
trine.
All of these subjects have been from time
TO time in the past discussed in the press
of the United States and England and the
probable basis for the collation. at this time
is to be found in Mr.. Chamberln's recent
speech, which has aroused SO much inter-
est in both hemispheres.
The Nicaragua Canal.
AS far as the Nicaragua canal is con-
cerned. it is pointed out that If the United
States contemplated the Joint use of that
means of communication, there would be
no necessity for including, such provision
in treaty, inasmuch as the same result
would be attained by simple affirmation
that the Clayton-Buiwer treaty, under the
terms of which both nations the United
States and Great Britaia-dessared for joint
control of any waterway 20 be constructed
in the future-is still in force.
The trade relations are even now being
adjusted on new basis through the draft
ing of an agreement between Sir Julian
Pauncefote for Great Britain and by AR.
kasson for the United States, under the
terms of the reciprocity sections of the
Dingley tariff act. This has advanced al
most to completion, and the result may be
proclaimed within the next week unless
some unforeseen delays are encountered.
The Monroe Doctrine.
The talk of a union on an interpretations
of the Monroe doctrine is rather sentiment
al than practical at this stage, and there
is the best authority for the statement that
the subject has not been preached in any
manner in the diplomatic, exchanges of the
two governments since the celebrated pass
age between Secretary Olney and the Mar
quis of Salisbury during the negotiations
that led up to the Yenezuelan arbitration
agreement
1t may be recalled that in his last note,
while conceding the propriety of arbitra-
ton, the British premier nowhere admitted
any application of the Monroe doctrine to
the boundary question, and SO far as is
known, there has been no change in Brit
ish sentiment on that point up to this time
AS to the relations Of the United States
and Great Britain in respect to Asiatic
trade, there Is no reason to believe that
there has been any change In the policy of
our own government, which, while ami
mated by the kindliest feelings toward the
British, and appreciating what has been
done by Great Britain to liberhlize Chinese
trade, has confined it's efforts to the single
object of protecting American trade from
invidious discrimination, and SO FAR, 1t is
believed, with signal success.
In British CarcIea.
In British official eircleS here much salts
faction is felt in the conspicuous growth of
friendship between the EngHsh-speaking
people on both sides of the water. But it
is the view in these circles that it is a
healthy and desirable grewth. which can
not find immediate expression in formal
treaties or conventions. Such large results
are hoped for In the course of time the
result of public opinion In the meantime
there isaa disposition to adopt conserva-
tive view as to what should be attempted
agreements are under consid-
GRAFTON, or are about to be made, are look
ed upon as very prejudicfaE to the accom-
pishment or any real result AS stated by
leading diplomatic official today, radical
criticism OF Great Britain has apparently
given way to radical sympathy, and In
Doth cases this radicalism misleads people
fears. and serves to defeat those con-
servattve resultsywhich are secured only
by PATIENCE and mature dehbeeRtian.
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