Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-12-08

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ing with the enemy without regard to
any coHtrahand character Of the goods
while cargoes shipped to Delagoa Bay
In neutral bottoms were arrested on the
ground Of alleged destination 10 enemy
country. Appropriate representations on
our part resulted in the British govern
ment agreeing to purchase outright all
such goods shown to BE- the actual prop
erty Of American citizens. thus closing
the incident 10 the satisfaction of the
Immediately Interested parties. although
unfortunately without broad settlement
| Of the question Of ncutral's right to
send goods not coDtraband per Sc to
neutral port adjacent to a beIligerent
area.
| boundary Questions
| The work Of marking certain provision
| al boundary points for convenience Of
administration around the head Of Lynn
canal, in accordance with the temporary
arrangement of October. 1899. was com
peted by joint survey In July last. The
mOdus vivendi has so far worked without
/ friction, and the Dominion government
! has provided rules and regulations for
securing to our citizens the benefit Of
the reciprocal stipulation that the citi-
Zens or subjects of either power found by
that arrangement within the temporary
| jurisdiction of the other shall suffer no
| dminntion of the rights and privileges
they have hitherto enjoyed, but, however
necessary such an expedent may have
/ been to tide over the grave emergencies
of the situation, ii is at best but an un-
satisfactory makeshift. which should not
be suffered to delay the speedy and com
plete establishment of the frontier line to
which we are entitled under the Russo
American treaty for the cession of Alas
ka.
| In this relation l may refer again to
the need of definitely marking the Alas
kan boundary where it follows the one
hundred and forty-frst meridian A CON
vention TO that end has been before the
senate for some two years, but as no ac-
ton has been taken ! contemplate nego-
tiating a new convention for joint de-
termination of the meridian by tele-
graphic observations. These, it is believ-
| ed, will give more accurate and undues-
! tionable results than the sidereal methods
! heretofore independently followed, which,
as is shown, proved discrepant at several
| points on the line, although not varying
| at any place more than 700 feet
The assassination of King Humbert
| called forth sincere expressions of sorrow
from this government and people, and oc-
easion was fifty taken to testify to the
Italian nation the high regard here felt
for the memory of the lamented ruler.
The Isthmiau Canal.
The growth of Japan is next referred
| to. The president says our commercial
intercourse with Mexico continues to
| thrive. The movement for international
arbitration is the subject of another par
| agraph, and the president then turns to
| the interoceanic canal. He says:
The all important matter of an inter
! oceanic canal has assumed new phase.
| Adhering to its refusal to reopen the
question of the forfeiture of the contract
of the Maritime Canal company, which
was terminated for alleged nonexecution
in October, 1899 the government of Nj
caragua has since supplemented that ac-
ton by declaring the so styled Eyre
Cragin option void for nonpayment of the
! stipulated advance. Protests in relation
to these acts have been filed in the state
| department and are under consideration.
| Deeming itself relieved from existing en-
| gagements, the Nicaraguan government
shows a disposition to deal freely with
| tho canal question either in the way of
negotiations with the United States or
| by taking measures to promote the wa
| terway.
| Overtures for convention to effect
| the building Of a canal under the auspices
of the United States are under consider
| alton. In the meantime the views of the
congress upon the general subject, in
the light of the report of the commission
| appointed to examine the comparative
merits of the various transisthmian ship
/ al ma ba a
| | commend 10 the early attention of the
senate the convention with Great Britain
to facilitate the construction of such
canal and to remove any objection which
might arise out of the convention com
monty called the Clayton Bulwer treaty.
Satisfactory progress has been made
| toward the conclusion of a general treaty
! of friendship and intercourse with Spain
in replacement of the old treaty, which
! passed into allegiance by reason of the
| late war A new convention of extradi-
| ton 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 to reafiirm the cordial ties that ex-
| listed between MS 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.
| A bill is now pending to effect the rec
ommendation made in my last annual
| message that appropriate legislation be
! had to carry into execution article Z of
| the treaty of pence with Spain, by which
| the United States assumed the payment
of certain claims for indemnity of its cit
liens against Spain. ] ask that action
be taken to fulfill this obligation.
! We await the fulhllment of the prom
| Use of the sultan 10 make reparation for
| the injuries suffered by American cit-
zens IN Armenia and elsewhere in the
! Turkish empire. His majesty's good dis
! position in this regard has been evinced
| by the issuance Of an trade for rebuilding
! the American college at Karput.
| The failure of action by the senate at
! its last session upon the commercial con
ventions then submitted for its consider
alton and approval, although caused by
| the great pressure of other legislative