New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-25

London, February IA
The revision of the CIayton-BuIwer Conven-
ton has been brought about in a spirit Of
mutual accommodation and goodwill MI
| Laurier might have prevented the negotia-
ton of the new treaty If he had persisted in
claiming an Alaskan port q quid pro quo, for
the British Foreign Office would not have vent
ured 10 override his veto when Canada has been
setting so splendid example of loyalty 10 the
Empire. Mr.. Laurier has risen 10 the height Of
| & supreme occasion, and shown himself to be
the greatest imperialist among Colonial states
men. He has Withdrawn his objections to the
settlement of the canal controversy. and al
lowed the Foreign Office TO deal with it as an
Imperial question. In this way the tangled
sken of diplomacy with which the Clayton
Bulwer Treaty has been enmeshed in the course
Of fifty years has been easily unravelled.
This settlement easily effected the
! lines Of enlightened self-interest. Lord Sails
! bury perceived that from a British Imperial
point Of view an interoceanic waterway through
| Central America OF across the Isthmus of Da-
rien less important than It had been The
Suez Canal has been opened since 1850. and is
| now practically under British control. 1t pro-
! vides direct communication with India and Aus
tralia, and is the chief link in the chain of I'm
perial possessions dependent upon power.
! Englands interest in the interoceanic waterway
| at Panama or through Nicaragua is mainly COM
mercial, since it will supply more direct COM
munications with China and Japan and with the
west coast Of North and South America The
control of that waterway has ceased to be an
Imperialist interest. The perception Of this
truth has enabled Lord Salisbury 10 relinquish
! Englands share in the joint control OF the pro-
! posed waterway. Since the Suez Canal is prac-
ticaIly under the single control of England as
exercised by Lord Cromer in Cairo the British
Prime Minister has understood the diplomatic
| advantage Of arming the United States Govern
! nent with single control over the rival inter
/ oceanic enterprise, especially as il has received
/ from the European Powers and Japan collective
! guarantees for the open door principle in the
! Far East
! On the other hand. American interests in the
! interoceanic canal have been materially in
/ creased since 1850. The settlement Of the West
| ern Territories and the creation of three great
! States on the Pacific Coast have rendered the
/ canal essential as a military work for uniting
/ the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts and for
| concentrating the naval forces. The acquisition
! OF Puerto Rico and the emancipation of Cuba
from Spanish misrule have widened the sphere
/ Of American interests in West Indian waters on
the line Of approach to the waterway. The &C
! cupation of the Philippine group has converted
the canal into an essential link in the American
territorial system, as the Suez Canal is already
L
/ the interoceanic project have declined Anleri-
can interests have increased since 1850, and this
! change Of balance in the relations Of the two
countries TO il mas required the revision OF
! convention which was entirely out of touch with
! the new conditions. This revision has been
! completed without bargaining or backstairs d.
plomacy. and the British Government has acted
with good feeling and neighborly accommoda-
ton in relinquishng privileges which stood in
7 81 II Siyr7Ad
TO promote the highest ends Of civilization and
J progress
The first sequel to the ratification OF the
| Canal Convention ought to be the purchase OF
the Danish West Indies by the United States
! Government. There are two reasons for this
action First, there are harbors in those islands
which command the Atlantic approaches TO the
canal and also TO Puerto Rico and Cuba and
/ their occupation and fertilization are essential
10 the defence Of the waterway. Second, If
the United States Government does not pur-
chase them promptly, some European Power,
notably either Germany Russia, will do it;
and this will raise the Monroe Doctrine in a
! peculiarly aggressive form. The Danish West
Indies are to-day in the market, and three Of
them can be obtained for less than Secretary
Seward offered for two Of them. The invest
rnent Of a few millions by the United States
Government in good time will secure the occu-
patton of two of the best harbors in the west
Indies, and will prevent future complications
over the Monroe Doctrine With St Thomas
and St John in American possession. their con-
version into naval stations for Germany. Rus
STA or France would be impracticable. and the
defence Of the tnteroceanic highway would be
greatly facilitated.
II is ten years since I have been IN st
Thomas but I can describe II from memory as
II was the first glimpse which had Of tropical
America The entrance TO the harbor is mar
row and is guarded by lofty headlands like
those Of Santiago. Within is a circular basin
of moderate depth, bordered by abrupt hillsides,
the town living along the shore Unlike Grey
town which is incapable Of being defended from
attack by sea St Thomas can be rendered i'm
nregnabla at comparatively slight expense AS
a naval station il is superior 20 either SANTANA
Bav or Mole St Nicholas. in San Domingo. This
mountainous little island can be converted into
another Malta and it lies directly the line
NJ Eurouean approach to a canal either at Pana-
ma or through Nicaragua By virtue Of it's CEN
trail position among the European possessions in
+ha West Indies and its strat egic relations with
rbe two canal routes and courses of trade with
Rrazr il is an ideal coalng station. Whether
Americans need It OF not, they cannot afford TO
allow any European Power TO obtain control Of
this natural naval station in defiance of the
Monroe Doctrine.
Santa Cruz is the best Of the three Danish
islands IN industrial resources but 1t is Of no
value as A naval station since its harbors are
omen roadsteads St John has. however. one
NJ The best natural harbors in the West Indies.
although it is seldom used, and has ceased TO
nfa1 gvoy 4av,CA COra1 Paw