Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-05
Great Britain Renounces Claims Un-
der Clayton Bulwer Treaty.
CEREMONY At STATE DEPARTMENT
United States Conceded the Right
to Dig Isthmian Waterway.
TO BE ABSOLUTELY NEUTRAL

OF the Clayton -Bulwer treaty relative to
| the construction of the Nicaragua canal,
was signed at the State Department at Ii
o'clock by. Secretary Hay and Ambassador
| Parncefote for Great Britain. Though the
| consummation of the treaty occupied some
| time owing 20 the necessity of comparing
| the two drafts, there was little formality
about the ceremony, and a convention that
| is expected to be, for the United States at
least, of the most far-reaching Importance
and value. came into being without any
theatrical surroundings and in the dryest
possible fashion There Were present, be-
side Secretary Hay and Lord Pauncefotc.
only Mr.. Bromley, honorary attache of the
British embassy, and prospective son-in-
law of Lord Pauncefote; Sidney Smith,
chief of the diplomatic bureau, and William
Gwinn, the faithful and discreet messenger
to the Department of State, who placed the
seals upon this convention. as he has upon
nearly every treaty of Importance to which
the United States has been a party for the
past thirty years.
The first thing in order was to compare
the two drafts of the treaty carefully, to
insure their identity. which work was per-
formed by Messrs. Smith and Bromley.
Then the signing took place, Secretary Hay
attaching his signature first 10 the copy of
the treaty which is to be retained by the
United States government after the final
exchange of ratificatiOnS. Then the seals
were attached, and then there We're con-
gratulations and the remony was over.
Messrs. Smith and Bromley retired. and
Secretary Hay and Lord Pauncefote had
long private chat.
Mr.. Smith carried the freshly signed
treaty directly over to the White House
where the letter of transmittal was signed
by the President, so that the treaty could
be dispatched at once to the United States
Senate for ratification. The letter of trans
initial was purely formal. simply COM
nan ha afN- hn 10. rx-itI tI,D,,
entering upon any argument to demonstrate
its great value.
Right to Construct Canal.
Secretary Hay declined to make public
the text of the treaty, or even to make any
statement to its details, holding that
courtesy to the Senate obliged him to remairG
silent until the Senate itself removed the
seal of confidence from the convention. So
that all that is now known of this conven-
ton is that it amends the Clayton Bul.ver
treaty Of 1850, in such manner that Great
Britain yields to the United States the right
to construct the Nicaragua canal, or
canal at any other point on the isthmus
without British participation. There are
other features than this one which is
amended in the Clayton-Bulwer treaty and
most of them are retained This Is notably
true OF the article number ). which guaran-
teed the absolute neutrality of any canal
and the security of the capital invested 1t
is understood that the United States con-
lIHutS upon llSel1 tnlS obligation to MAIN
tain the naturalization of the canal. which
shall be forever open and free. 1t is also
believed that the treaty looks to an inter
national undertaking on this point
Because the requirements Of international
courtesy would not otherwise be observed
1t is expected that the Senate will not make
the convention public before tomorrow at
the earliest and this point there has
IL ,d ~ Pn,3tt pe.Weeh secretary
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