The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-02-16

The one supreme strategic point of the
whole world is Lake Nicaragua. If the
Black Sea and the Mediterranean were
two oceans and the Sea of Marmora
would be it's mate, but as 1t is, there is
nothing remotely approaching 1t any
where else. 1t is landlocked, fresh
water harbor in which the bottoms of
ships would clean themselves without
docking. Connected with the Atlantic
and Pacific by fortified canals, 1t would
enable one fleet to do the work of two.
Ten battleships waiting there would
balance ten OF the enemy's in the At
lantic and ten in the Pacific. A few
hours steaming would put the squadron
in either ocean.
This commanding position of the 18TH
manian inland sea has been one of the
chief arguments in favor of selecting
the Nicaragua route rather than any
other. But for that the question between
Panama and Nicaragua might be con-
Sldereu an open one.
BY the new treaty which the wisdom
of Secretary Hay and President Nc
Kinley has superadded to the exasper-
alton of the Clayton-Bulwer muddle,
Lake Nicaragua as a strategic base is
formally erased from the map. We bid
farewell to that bright dream of an
American fleet standing sentry between
two oceans, ready to descend on either
side to meet any threatened danger.
The ingenious Mr. Hay has stipulated
that vessels Of war of belligerent
shall not revictual nor take any stores
in the canal except so far as may be
strictly necessary" that "the transit of
such vessels through the canal shall be
effected with the least possible delay"
that mo belligerent shall embark or dis
embark troops, munitions Of war, OF
warlike materials in the canal except in
case of distress and that "a vessel OF
transit" that vessels Of war of bel
ligerent shall not remain in the waters
within three miles of either end of the
canal longer than "a hours except ii
case of distress. and taht "a vessel Of
war Of one belligerent shall not depar
within twenty-four hours from the de-
parture of vessel of war of the otheI
belligerent."
In other words, Mr.. Hay has exerteC
himself to deprive the Nicaragua cana
of any possible usefulness to the United
States beyond what is shared equal!
by all other nations, including the enc
mics with whom we may be at war.
But he has gone further than that
Under the Clayton-Bulwer treaty w
had only England to deal with. If ou
position in relation to her grew alto
gether intolerable we always had tn
privilege of tearing the treaty up an
taking chances of her displeasure. Blu
by the new agreement we are to invit
every power of Europe to put it's sepa
rate lock on our handouts. All tn
powers are to be asked to guarante
the neutrality of the canal. What doe
that mean? This:
When the Virginius trouble broke OF
in 1873 a Spanish warship was in dr.
dock in New York. A coal barge som
how got sunk in front of the dock, an
it was found impossible to get it out {
until tho Of wit
Spain was over. If we should be
charge of the Nicaragua canal and
hostile fleet should undertake to pa!
through it, 1t is quite likely that simils
accidents might happen there. A loc
gate might give way and let one Of IL
enemys ships break it's back, or an al
chor carelessly dropped in the can