The broad ax., 1900-03-24
CURRENT TOPICS
THE CLAYroN-BuLwER TREA


THE CLAYToN-BULwER TREATY.
The "Clayton-Bulwer treaty" derives
its name from. the diplomatists who
negotiated It: on the part Of the Unit
ed States, Hon. John NJ. Clayton, sec
Rotary OF state in President Taylor's
administration, and on the part Of
England, Sir Henry Bulwer, British
minister at Washington. The treaty"
Ito use proper diplomatic Language It
was q convention" and not a treaty
was concluded IN 1850. Its purpose
was to promote the building Of an 18TH
milan canal, to connect the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans. In 1s49 the United
States had made O convention with
Nicaragua for constructing such ca
nal, starting at Greytown, on the At
lantic. But Greytown was occupied by
British settlers, and Great britain
claimed protectorate over the Mos
quito Indians. who held the eastern
coast Of Nicaragua The United States
desired Great Britain to waive its
claims, but as the request was denied.
the next best thing seemed to be the
establishment of joint protectorate
over the proposed canal. This was
done by the Clayton Bulwer treaty"
one condition Of which was that Meth
er power should secure exclusive priv
tieges in the canal, and another that
neither power should occupy or exer-
else dominion over any part Of Central
America Since the convention was
made, and especially during the last
few years, the building Of an isthmian
canal has become increasingly impor-
tant to the United States; but 1t Is i'm
portant also that the canal should be
under the sole control Of the United
States. This could not be while the
convention was In force. It has been
sometimes suggested, but never for
mally insisted upon In diplomatic cor
respondence, that Great Britain has
violated the convention by continuing
to exercise dominion over British Hon
duras. So long as Great Britain did
not take this view Of the matter, awk-
ward questions might arise after the
canal should be constructed.
THE EXPLORING HABIT.
That royal explorer, the duke of the
Abruzzi, Is not, 1t seems, an exception
to the rule that gentlemen who start
out to find the north pole have to be
hunted up themselves. The history of
polar expeditions is almost invariable.
The intrepid individual who fares
forth to the frozen north always has to
be rescued. His bark is scarcely out Of
eight behind the headlands before an
other vessel is fitted out for the pur-
pose Of saving him from polar bears
and similar inconveniences. The Ital-
ian prince. who is to be hunted up by
Mr.. Nansen, Is merely keeping up the
traditions OF polar exploration. Mr..
Nansen viii bring him home covered
: with glory and frostbites, and his high
ness will either write a book or take
to the lecture platform to relate to an
admiring world how he subsisted ON a
light diet Of blubber and old boots for
two or three months In the interest Of
science. They all do It
ENGLAND-s BOYCOTT ON PARIS.
An English paper has this to say by
way Of encouragement to the Paris ex-
position: IF you are going to Paris
get vaccinated before you start. Ac-
cord ne to private letters from that city
smallpox prevails in an epidemic de-
gree. There has been no statement OF
this tact through the foreign newspa-
pers or by the news agencies. Even II
e be true. there would be a disposition
TO keep quiet about It It viii be pru-
dent to take precautions against this,
and, as far As possible, against other
infectionsrand contagious which great
miscellaneous gatherings Of people
from every quarter Of the world are
apt to contain and TO propagate"
KIPLESG IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Having arrived at Cape Town and
mastered the situation within twenty
four hours, Mr.. Rudyand Kipling has
prepared plans and specifications for
the speedy settlement Of the entire
South African diHiculty. As nearly as
We can Judge from his cabled mani
festo. Mr.. Kipling favors shooting
about half the population of Cape COL
ony and hanging the rest The plan Is
probably all right. brt 1T involves a
aeedless waste Of ammunition, says
tbs Chicago Chronicle. Why not line
the fraftDrs nm ana read NJ Ksnffr~s.