Evening star., 1901-03-11
Action on Amended Hay-Pauncefote
Treaty.
OPPOSED TO TIE SENATE'S CHANGES
viii Await Counter Proposition
From This Country.
ISSUE Gle ARLY DRAWN

communication reclt1ng the action OF the
Senate upon the Hay-Pauncefote treaty
was returned at noon today. Lord Paunce-
fote, the British ambassador, had acquaint-
ed Secretary Hay with the fact that he had
received communication from his gov
ernment on that subject, and it is believed
that it has been in his possession for sew
eral days, at least. Moreover, Secretary
Hay had acquired a general knowledge of
the character Of the British response.
Rejects the Amendments.
Lord Pauncefote went to the State De-
partment today by appointment. He
brought the answer with him, and read it
to Secretary Hay. 1t was in form an in
struction from Lord Lansdowne, the Brit
ish minister of foreign affairs, to Lord
Pauncefote, and of this instruction he left
a copy with Secretary Hay. The Secretary
and the ambassador were closeted for half
an hour At the conclusion of the confer
ence it was stated that the instruction to
Lord Pauncefote was to notify the gov
ernment of the United States that the
British government did not see it's way
clear to the acceptance of the Senate
amendments. The amendments were treat
ed in detail at some length in argumenta-
tive fashion, the purpose of the British
government being to show that it had
sound reason for declining to accept them.
After disposing of the details, the note
such course was forced upon the British
government.
There was nothing In the nature of a.
counter proposition, nor was any opening
left for further action by the British gov
ernment 1t was stated that If there is
to be a further attempt to amend the Clay
ton Bulwer treaty, so as to authorize the
United States to construct waterway
across the isthmus, then it is for the Unit
ed States to make the overture; the British
government simply drops the matter at
this point.
Secretary Hay carried the communica-
ton to the White House to talk with the
President as to the future action of the
administration. The impression prevails
that there will be no immediate action
looking toward the negotiation of a treaty
to again try the disposition of the Senate.
Action of the Senate.
The Hay-Pauncefote treaty negotiations
have been going on for something over two
years, and owing to the great interests in
volved, they have constituted one of the
chief International questions at issue be-
fore the State Department. The treaty
was signed prior to the opening of the
Fifty-sixth Congress, and was submitted
to the Senate in December 1899. 1t at once
encountered opposition in that body and
throughout the long session no action was
taken toward it's confirmation. This ne
cessitated an extension of the time within
which the treaty might be ratified, the ef-
feet Of which was to keep the instrument
alive for consideration at the second ses-
sion, which has just come to close.
Again the controversy was taken up at the
second session, the chief issue being made
on what is known as the Davis amend
ment.
While this did not In terms give The
United States right to fortify the canal,
yet in general language 1t expressed the
right Of this country to adopt such meas
ures In regard to the canal as were deemed
nor Tow, th4 ,,,%o,
American authority. After extended debate
in executive session, this amendment to the
treaty was adopted, and the treaty itself
was ratified as thus amended. But since
the amendment created conditions which
the British government had not concurred
in when the original treaty was made, it
was necessary to present the instrument,
in its amended form, to the British govern
ment for Its approval.
Delay in the Response.
Lord Pauncefote forwarded the document
in it's amended form to the British foreign
office about the time Of the Christmas holi-
days, and there was some prospect at the
time that a speedy response would be
made. But just at that moment the first
alarming news OF Queen Victoria's dying
condition was given to the world, and after
a fortnight of anxiety the good queen OK
pired. For the time being the British cab
met and officials were obliged to turn their
attention to the momentous internal
changes occurring by the demise of the
sovereign. Then followed the equally I'M
portant duties attending the recent induc-
tion Of King Edward VII as King of Eng
land
Despite the diversion caused by these in
ternal changes, Lord Lansdowne and his
associates were able to give considerable
time to the consideration Of the amended
treaty. 1t is understood, however, that
they believed the subject to be one in
volving such far-reaching considerations
that 1t was not to be quickly or lightly dis
posed Of. but was worthy of the most ma
ture reflection. It is further understood
that one moving consideration in the minds
OF the British statesmen was that their
determination not alone affected Great
Britain and her interests in the canal but
was for the benefit Of all the maritime
nations of Europe and of the world at
large.
Effect on ClaytOn-Bulwer Treaty.
This view grew out Of the fact that,
while Great Britain was a contracting
party in the treaty, yet the complete
neutralizing of the canal under the terms
Of the treaty would have the effect of con-
ferring the same rights and usage to Ger
many, France and other nations that were
enjoyed by Great Britain. 1t was rather In
the character of trustee for the maritime
nations that the amended treaty was con-
sidered.
Furthermore, an important consideration
was as to the effect of the new instrument
in completely wiping out the Clayton-Bul-
wer treaty, and the rights which Great
Britain claimed under that convention
Some Of the British statesmen held that
there should be a Quid pro quo, If British
claims under the Clayton-Bulwer treaty
were surrendered. 1t was also held that
Great Britain had certain vested rights in
Central America. which had given place to
the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, so that If the
treaty was to be succeeded by something
less substantial then the old vested rights
of Great Britain were obliterated, without
any adequate return.
Concession Proposed.
At the same time, the understanding here
is that the sentiment of British officials
was to avoid a breach or issue with the
United States, and if possible to arrange a
common basis of agreement. In some Brit
ish quasters 1t was held that too much frfc-
ton had already been caused by the canal
issue. and that since the United States was
willing to invest the hundreds of millions
OF dollars required for the canals construc-
ton. and then admit to 1t the commerce OF
Great Britain and the world at large, 1t
was but just to give the American govern
ment a certain degree of authority over the