The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-04

" eli ft&fETlS AAf@ NptaiHrA tatvAsu A4a-1f
the sum awarded in the first case. sFa.-
05oos, has been returzed to Mexico. and
the amount Of the Well award viii be
returned in ike manner.
A convention Indefinitely extending the
TIM for the labors Of the United Stres
and Mexican international fWater1 Bound
aTy Commission has been signed
The Hague Conference.
II Is with satisfaction that am able 10
announce the formal notification gt The
Hague. on September l. Of the deposit OF
ratihcations of the convention for the pa
ciac settlement Of international disputes
By sixteen powers-namely. the United
States, Austria. Belgium. Denmark. Eng
land, France. Germany. Italy. Persia,
Portugal. Roumania, Russia. Siam. Spain,
Sweden and Norway. and the Netherlands.
Japan also has since ratified the conyen-
ton
The administrative council of the perma-
nent court Of arbitration has been organ
ized and has adopted rules OF order and a
constitution for the international arbitra-
tiOn bureau In accordance with Article
XXIII Of the convention. providing for the
appointment by each signatory power of
persons Of known competency in questions
Of International law as arbitrators, ] have
appointed as members of this court Hon.
Benjamin Harrison, Of Indiana. ex-Presi-
dent OF the United States; Hon. Melville
". Fuller. Of Illinois. Chief Justice OF the
United States; Hen. John ". Griggs. of
Naw Jersey, Attorney General OF the Unit
ed States. and Hon. George Gray. of Dela-
ware, a judge Of The Circuit Court of the
United States.
AS an incident Of the brief revolution
in tbs, Mosquito district OF Nicaragua
early in 1899. the insurgents forcibly col
leeted from American merchants duties
upon imports On the restoration of or
der the Nicaraguan authorities demanded
second payment Of such duties on the
ground that they were due 10 the titular
government and that their diversion had
aided the revolt.
This position was not accepted by US.
After pros. 'ged discussion a compromise
vas effected under which the amount of
the second payments was deposited with
the British consul at San Juan del NOrte
IN trust until the two governments should
determine whether the first payments had
been made under compulsion TO a de facto
authority. Agreement as to this was not
reached, and the point was waived by
the act Of the Nicaraguan government in
requesting the British consul to return
the deposits TO the merchants.
the Central American states have been ac-
commodated, our ministers rendering good
oIlceS toward an understanding
Maritime Canal Project.
The all important matter of an inter-
oceanic canal fas assumed a new phase.
Adhering to it's refusal 10 reopen the dues-
ton Of the forfeiture of the contract Of
the Maritime Canal Company, which was
far in taI
October 1899. the government of Mica
ragua has since supplemented that action
by declaring the so-styled Eyre-Cragin
option void for non-payment of the stIp-
ulated advance. Protests in relation to
these acts have been fled in the State De-
partment and are under consideration
Deeming itself relieved from existing en-
gagements, The Nicara guam government
shows disposition to deal freely with
the canal question either in the way of
negotiations with the United States or by
taking measures 10 promote the water
way.
Overtures for convention to effect the
building of a canal under the auspices of
the United States are under consideration
In the meantime. the views of the Con-
sress upon the general subject, in the
light Of the report of the commission ap-
pointed 10 examine the comparative mer-
its of the various trans-isthmian ship
canal projects. may be awaited.
! commend to the early attention of the
Senate the convention with Great Britain
to facilitate the construction OF such a
canal ana to remove any objection which
might arise out Of the convention COM
monty called the Ciayton-Bulwer treaty.
The long-standing contention with Por-
tugal, growing out of the seizure OF the
Delagoa Bay Railway, has been at last
determined by a favorable award of the
tribunal of arbitration at Berne, to which
il was submitted The amount of the
award. which was deposited In LondCn
awaiting arrangements by the govern
ments of the United States and Great
Britain for it's disposal, has recently been
paid over 10 the two governments.
A lately signed convention of extradi-
ton with Peru as amended by the Senate
has been ratified by the Peruvian Con-
gress.
Impartial Arbitration.
Another illustration of the policy Of this
government TO refer international disputes
10 impartial arbitration is seen in the
agreement reached with Russia to submit
the claims on behalf of American sealing
vessels seized in Bering Sea to deterrni-
d
guished statesman and jurist of the Meth
erlands.
Thanks are due to the imperial Russian
government for the kindly aid rendered
by its authorities in Eastern Siberia to
American missionaries fleeing from Man
churia.
Satisfactory progress has been made to-
ward the conclusion of a general treaty
of friendship and intercourse with Spain,
in replacement Of the old treaty, which
passed into abeyaEce by reason of the
late war. A new convention of extra
dition is approaching completion, and |
should be much pleased were a CONNER
cial arrangement TO follow. | feel that
We should not suffer TO pass any oppor-
tunity 10 reafIirm the cordial ties that
existed between Us and Spain from the
time Of our earliest independence, and
to enhance the mutual benefits of that
commercial intercourse which Is natural
between the two countries.
By the terms Of the treaty of peace the
line bounding the ceded Philippine group
in the southwest failed 10 include several
small islands lying westward of the Sulus,
which nave always been recognized as
under Spanish control The occupation
of SIbutu and casayan sulu by our naval
forces ELECTED a claim on the part OF
Spain, the essential equity Of which could
rot be gainsaid. In order 10 cure the de-
feet of the treaty by removing all possi-
bic ground of future misunderstanding re-
sDecIing the Interpretation of its third
article. / directed the negotiation of
supplementary treaty. which will be forth
with laid before the Senate, whereby
Spain quits all title and claim Of title
10 the islands named. as well as TO any
and all islands belonging TO the Phiiip-
pine archipelago lying outside the lines
described in said third article, and agrees
that all such islands shall be compre-
hended in the cessiCn OF the archipelago
as fully as if they had been expressly
included within those lines. In consid-
Grafton of this cessiOn the United States
is TO pay % Spain the sum of sieceJo.
4 bill is now pending 10 effect the rec
made IN my last annual
wessage that appropriate legislation be
had 10 carry into execution Article VII
0f the treaty of peace with Spain, hy
which the United States assumed the pay
ment Of certain claims for indemnity Of
us citizens against Spain. I ask that ae-
lion be taken 70 fulhll this obligation.
The King Of Sweden and Norway has ae-
cepted the joint invitation OF the United
states, Germany, and Great Britain TO