The times., 1899-11-21

use ht " AF- NJ GitIAN Nh-
One Of the earliest matters which will
come before Congress On its reassembling
next month will be the question OF the
construction of the Isthmian Canal The
question will arise whether the Panama
or the Nicaraguan route IS the more ad
vsntageous to the United States. That
one or the other has got to be Constructed
is beyond question, said a member Of the
Canal Commission yesterday. But no
matter which route is finally determined
upon for the canal, the Clayton -BuIwer
treaty has to be considered. Mind you.
there is nothing in that treaty 10 prevent
the construction of a canal across the 18TH
mus. but there is to fortify the same. The
one clause in the Clayton-Bu Bulwer treaty
that we have to be careful not to break is
that referring to- the fertilization Of the
territory through which the canal runs.
That clause is very comprehensive, and
runs as follows:
The Governments OF the United States
and Great Britain hereby declare that
neither one nor the ether will ever obtain
or maintain for itself any exclusive con-
troll over the said ship canals, agreeing
that neither viii ever erect or maintain
any fortification commanding the same, or
in the vicinity thereof, or occupy, or forti-
~, or cOlOnize, or assume or exercise any
dominion over Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the
Mosquito Coast, or any part OF Central
America, nor will either make use OF any
protection which either affords or may af-
ford or any alliance which either has or
may have to or with any State or people,
for the purpose OF erecting or maintaining
any sucn fortifcations or Of occupying,
fortifyiug or colonlZing Nicaragua, the
Mosquito Coast, or any part OF Central
America. CT OF assuming or exercising do
minion over the same.
But this clause appears to the majority
of those who have read it to be merely per
fuRctory We-that is, the United States
neither desire nor require Qualifications,
colonization, nor anything else except the
canal. We cannot stop the colonization
that follows prosperity. Those who colo
nize a country generally-and with the
universal consent-claim and obtain the
domination of that country. As for the
fertilization, We Will not even need that
il we have sufficient ships to command the
entrance of the canal on both sides. II
the squadTons of the United States are cap
able CT holding the entrances on the Gulf
and Pacific ends, what need we care for
fortifications2 Even if the canal We're neu-
tral and its neutrality were respected the
commerce of enemies would be practically
at the mercy Of an American feet in the
West Indies or along the coasts of Central
America. while. on the other hand, Ameri-
can commerce would be at the mercy OF q
similar hostile squadron if it were superior
on the ocean.
1T Is for this reason that the highest
Importance attaches TO the fact that the
Naval Board on Construction has recon-
mended the building Of eighteen new war
vessels 10 the Secretary OF ehe Navy. For
these Yessels-excepting, of course, those
small gunbOats evidently intended for the
Philippine coast protection service-our
government has in view just such a con-
tingency as would be suggested by q war
which would endanger our traffic through
an Isthmian Canal. The following state
ment was recently published:
q" The Naval Board on Construct jion has
adopted a programme Of naval increase
The greatest ever yet entered uron By the
United States. Eighteen yesse-s are in
cluded within the scope Of the boards de-
termination, and, contrary 10 expectation,
some of them are armor- -clads. There are
10 be three armOred cruisers, eacn o. 49,,
500 tons displacement; three projected
cruisers of between 5000 and 5000 tons
displacement, six light-draft gunbOats Of
about 600 tons displacement ana six
ligbt-draft gunbosts of about 800 tons dis
placement.
The three armored cruisers contem-
plated are TO be much larger than the
Brooklyn. which exceeds in tonnage the
only vessel Of that class in the United
States Navy, namely, the flagship New
York. They are 10 be larger even than
any armored cruisers in the British navy
and none Of the battleships now under
construction Or In service in the United
States Navy is within 1000 tons of their
projected displacement. The idea of the
board is to provide three vessels that VIII
combine the elements of strength and o.
fensive qualities Of the battleship with the
speed OF the armored cruiser Armor and
armament are sacrificed 10 speed in ar
mored cruisers. just as in the battiesh p
the armor and the armament are the most
fmpOrtsnJ features. The boards object Is
TO have a trio OF vessels second 10 none
ga the WORLD in respect Of speed and arIa-
meut
To have canal built By the United
States Government under its own control
with power to fix discriminating rates n
favor OF its Own citizens, and with fOrti-
dcatiOus Gt either end 10 provide for The
I eXigencies Of var, prcsuppOses a series Of
/ diplomatic negotiations no less delicate
/ tnan difficult, but with a feet sufficiently
powerful TO render the Government inde
/ pendent Of fortiicst.OEs the matter takes
a totally different aspect