New-York tribune., 1901-01-11
CANAL NEGOTIATIONS.
FORD LANSDOWNE AT WORK ON THE
NICARAGUA CONVENTION.
HOPEFUL OUTLOOK FOR ACCEPTANCE OF
THE SENATE AAiENDMENTs-THE
CHINA PROBLEM
CHINA PROBLEM.

CHINA PROBLEM.
Copyright: 1901: By The New-Yorh TstbuneJ
IBY CABLE To THE TRIBUNE.J
London. Jan. II, a. n1.-Negotiations over
the amended Hay-Pauncefote Treaty have be-
qun. but there will not be any real progress
until Lord Lansdowne has an opportunity of
submitting the altered convention to the Cabi-
net which will meet at the end of next week
The subject is no longer referred to in the
press. and the Foreign Office count with
confidence upon public support in any disposi-
tIon it may make of the whole affair. John
Bulls stern eyes are fixed upon South Africa
with vacant stare, for he does not know what
Is going on there. China lies outside his pres
ent range Of vision, and Nicaragua also.
No forecasts of Lord Lansdowne's action are
of any value, since he has not committed him
self in any way on the canal question. and will
not be prepared TO discuss it until he has con-
suited the Cabinet. There is, however, a more
hopeful feeling respecting the readjustment Of
the convention and acceptance of the Senate
amendments. Men in diplomatic circles who
have studied the text Of the amendments do
not consider them insuperable obstacles. They
assert that the Foreign Office carries two points
in which it is chiefly interested. One is the
construction of the canal and the other is the
adoption Of Suez rules. They explain, further
more that fortifcation at the ends Of the canal
is prohibited, that England is not concerned
in American refusal to consult other maritime
Powers so long as she herself has agreed to the
new convention, that the two Governments
meant to have the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
supersede the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty. and that
the formal clause is not Of serious consequence
They say that the Davis amendment is the prin-
cipal source of trouble, and that 1t is based on
analogies to the Suez situation, where England
by means Of political control exercised at Cairo.
has de facto the same powers in reserve with
which the Senate desires TO arm the American
Government de jure.
The fact that the American Embassies in
London and Berlin have been taking up some
minor details of the China question has induced
some fippant journals TO assert that the Wash
ipgton Government has been wabbling so long
and shown so plainly that it does not know its
own mind that the European Powers do not re-
gard its diplomacy serious. This view is
not shared by the men in diplomatic circles
They consider that the State Department has
appeared TO good advantage throughout the
China negotiations. and is in favorable posi-
ton TO enforce the "open door" principle. They
also regard the rumored purchase of the Danish
West Indies as a prudent and statesmanlike
act which assures command Of the approaches
TO any canal and precludes European challenge
Of the Monroe Doctrine from any source.
Lord Roberts celebrated yesterday the an
niversary Of his arrival at Cape Town by at
tending with the Duke OF Cambridge the ban
ouet OF the Royal Artillery at Woolwich. He
accepts invitations only on the understanding
that the dinners viii be private and that his
work at headquarters will NOT be interfered
with. This is necessary precaution when the
situation in South Africa is so serious General
Iyi+cbararSs tcheS while recording British
successes in repelling assaults, show that the
Beers are attacking with great spirit at many
points and that their operations are precon-
certed.
Americas command Of the steel markets of the
world which only year or two ago was re-
garded by Englishmen as extremely improbable,
II not altogether impossible, is now calmly, If
regretfully admitted by the English newspapers
as an existing fact THE Telegraph" this morn
ing regards it as certain that the United States
will keep the lead in steel, and will Increase It,
and at the same time warns British manu-
facturers that they must be more willing TO imi-
tate the methods Of their rivals if they cannot
outstrip them in original invention
Sir wilfrid Lauriers speech at Osgoode on
the relations between the United Kingdom and
its colonies is referred to by THE Times which
expresses approval Of the Canadian Premier's
remarks 1t is to the continued combination OF
the fullest and most intense local patriotism
with high imperial spirit that The Times
looks forward with confidence for perpetual
union Of England and her children.
A. G. Temple, conductor at the GuAdhaH Art
Gallery, tells me that he has obtained from
English private collections and from Paris and
Madrid all the works Of Velasquez and Fortuny
which he needs for a brilliant spring exhibition.
He requires only one work to complete 1t. inns
IS The Selection of a Model owned by Senator
Clark, Of Montana, the best Fortuny In exist
ence, which would bring art lovers from Maorlo
and Paris TO London. l. N r
IN HITRA