New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-23
CANAL DIPLOMACY
PROBABLE REVISION or THE cr,vrov
BULwER TREATY N A SPIRIT oe
MUTUAL ACCOMMODATION
AND GOODWILL.
IOnd0n. lamar IL

London, January II
IT is now an oper secret that the canal co..
ton has been taken up by Secretary Hav g.,
Lord Salisbury Ia practical rather than 49,.
troversal spirit II Is not probable tha, o,,,..
OF these statesmen IL anxious 10 attarn,, .,
unrave thu tangled slein ~ diplomacy ,,,.
which the Clayton Bulwer Treaty has heen a,
meshed IN the course % nfty years They ,ru
prefer 10 make a fresh start IN a spirit ~ nu,us,
accommodation and good feeling n Is generauv
understood that the subject has been reopen.a
by the State Department with tact and sour,
Judgment and that the Foreign ONCE b..
heartily met these advances more than hay
way. There Is no desire or either side for a
renewal OF the polemlcs ~ the canal question
Controversies which have embittercd the rein.
tions Of the two governments In the past are
waived By common consent. The practical bust
Tess now In hand is that ~ adapting the Clay.
ton Buwer treaty 10 new conditions affecting
the interests OF both countries
on the basis Of mutual accommodation and
common sense this ought not 10 be A difficult
undertaking. The commercial interests OF the
world and the highest ends ~ civilization will
he promoted by the construction of waterway
through Central America. ono country may be
more directly Interested than the other In the
completion and control 81 the ntorooeanic canal
but both England and America viii benefit COM
rnerclally by the opening Of the waterway. ana
/ neither can have any adequate motive for ham
pering or retardng a great work which will
contribute to the progress and civilization u the
world on this high ground the two govern.
ments can meet and devise practical measures
for facilitating the cons ructon % the canal and
for providing for It's control and maintenance as
neutral waterway open az all times 10 the
shipping and navies OF all nations This is a
rolicy which they are now endeavoring 10 carry
out in an enlightened and progressive spirit
worthy Of the genius Of the Anglo-Saxon race.
A CHANGE OF INTERESTS
The relative interests Of the two countries
both in the construction and in the control o.
the interoosanic waterway have changed ma
terialIv since the Clayton Bulwer Treaty was
negotiated atty years ago This is point which
1 English statesmen of the highest rank frankly
concede. Since 1850 the Sue2 Canal has been
open. and it is now practically under English
control II provides direct communication with
Iadia and Australia. and Is the chlef INK IN
the chain Of imperial possessions dependent
,,non sea mower Influential Englshmen 10
not hesitate to say that from strictly BRUSH
or imperial point Of view the projected Nicara-
N''A''
IN 1870 Englands interest in f. is mainly
commercial since IL will supply shorter and
more direct communications with China and the
west coast OF North and South America On
the other hand. the truth IS recognized in Eng
land that Americas interests In the Nicaragua
Canal have materially increased since the ne
qotiation OF the Clayton Bulwer Treaty. II Is
NOW essential as a military work for uniting
the Atlantic Gulf and Pacific coasts and for
concentrating the naval forces As Power
with possessions in the East and West Indies
Il will be an essential link in the American i'm
perial system as the SUez Canal Is in the
British Empire.
This change Of balance In the interests OF the
two countries in the Nicaragua Canal has a dl-
rect bearing upon the two questions OF con-
struction and control. which are affected oy
tho treaty of 1850 II justines the substitu'
ton of single in place OF Joint control as me
necessary condition OF the construction OF me
work by the American Government. Ehs'Sa
statesmen frankly concede that II the American
Government supplies the capital required iV'
the enterprise the treaty Of 100 ought ID
Justice. 10 be revised 10 allow the uni'ed
States TO control its own work. Under tne
/ CLAYTON Bulwer Convention the Americans
would be debarred from landing even a cor
porars guard OF marines for the protection VI
its property at either end Of tho canal
The attitude Of the British Government "heh
properly approached and asked TO revise the
treaty Of 1850 In a spirit of accommodation
and comfy. may be forecast with confidence
That Government has no desire 70 oostruo' '"'
construction OF the Nicaragua Canal. II wishes
10 have the canal completed and opened as
speedily as possible, in the interest OF the
D
United States Government undertake the WORK,
because this Is the only method OF economical
: construction pv which the cost can be kept
down and low tolls secured. The Panama enter
prise has warned British Ministers that pr
vste company cannot undertake so great
work without a vast increase OF financial QUE
Law They are convinced that the success ="
the Nicaragua Canal as an engineering ana
financial undertaking will be impracticaoie IN
der the MANAGEMENT OF q private COMPANY
whereas with the credit OF the United STATES
Government behind II the bonds viii be noa'eu
above mar and the enterprise he released ITO"
the burdens Of high rates OF interest. on us
account the British Government VIII rea'i'
consent 10 alter the treaty so as 10 allow '"e
United States 20 construct the canal ana 10 "
responsible for It's regulation and control
BRITISH OPINION OK JOINT CONTROL
Respecting the principle OF joint contro DIV
ish opinion has undergone a radical chahs'
since the treaty of 1880 was negotiated Ah'
is the direct result Of practical experience :"
Egypt. where joint financial controi VIZ"
France was a source Of vexatious emoa''"'
ment. In the light Of that experience Drl.Sa
statesmen are candid enough 10 adh''' 'D"'
whatever may have been the obligations d.
sumed by the two governments In the Gay 'o".
Bulwer Convention they DO not believe 'iio'
the experiment of Joint control would WORK We"
in Central America. They are convinced '"a,
the convention in its present form would o'ou.
the relations Of the United states ana u''"N
Britain If the canal were opened. especlanS .
the duty OF enforcing neutrality would nave p"
be assumed by feeble Central Amef''a'