The age-herald., 1901-11-19
By Its z Terms United States May Build and Fortifl
 Isthmian Canal
NEUTRALITY IS GUARANTEED
Treaty Signed In the Historic Cham Der of the State Department. Lord Paunoefote Uses
 Gold Pen.

Washington, November 1s.-The new Hay-Pauncefote treaty was signed today at 2O5 by Secretary Hay for the United States and Lord Pauncefote, the British ambassador for Great Britain.
 This treaty Is intended to replace the first Hay-Pauncefote treaty. That con- vention was amended so extensively by the United States Senate at it's last ses- sion that the British government declined to ratify it. Within a few weeks nego- tiations began afresh between Secretary Hay and Lord Pauncefote, which have just resulted in the signature of the new treaty drawn with especial reference to the objections found by the Senate with the first treaty.
 From a due sense of courtesy which must be observed toward the United States Senate whenever a treaty is cop cerned the State Department Is estopped from making public the text of the new convention, and that will remain secret until the Senate itself shall break the confidence.
 It is said at the State Department that
 
 made of the alleged text of the treaty are all erroneous and conjectural, al- though in view of the rather free admis- sions that have been made for the pur- pose of the negotiators it has been pos sible by the use of the text of the first treaty to construct one similar in general terms to the new convention.
 United States Sole Guarantor.
 The principal point of difference be- tween the new and failed treaty Is the withdrawal of Great Britain from the joint guarantee of the neutrality of the canal, thus leaving the United States the sole guarantor.
 The excision of the old provision re- | specting the right to fortify the canal leaves that right by inference optional | With the United States. All commerce. of whatever nationality passing through the canal will fare alike; there will be no | discrimination in rates in favor of United States shipping.
 Otherwise the new treaty is in scope similar to last years treaty. It replaces technically the Clayton -Bulwer treaty concluded on April IS, 1850. By the terms or that old convention the United States and Great Britain agreed that neither should seek any advantage in rights of transit across the isthmus. By the new convention Great Britain yields her right in favor of the United States which is thus at liberty to construct the canal.
 Will Wait on Senate. Nothing more remains to be done as Tar as this treaty Is concerned before the Senate meets or indeed until the treaty shall have been ratified, rejected or a qYfaof Had f~Io. Department will proceed immediately to negotiate the treaties with Costa Rica and Nicaragua, for which it already has arranged in protocols pending before the Senate, which will permit the canal to be constr ucted and prescribe the terms upon which the consent of Nicaragua and Costa Rica is given.
 It was in anticipation of this action, it Is presumed. tbat the Nicaraguan govern ment only recently denounced the treaty of trade and commerce with the United States This treaty contained sections conveying rights as to canal construction which are to be replaced by modern pro- visions.
 here was no particular ceremony con- nected with the signatures today of tho important convention. Lord Pauncefote has been indisposed for several days past, and 1t was not expected that the treaty could be signed before ths end of the current week. However, to the surprise of the State Department officials, the am- bassador appeared there about nocn and the work of signing the treaty was soon disposed of.
 Scene at Signing. The scene was in the historic chamber l of the State Department, and besioes the | principals Secretary Hay and Lord Pauncefote, there were present MT. Sid- ney Smith, chief of the diplomatic bu- reau of the State Department; MT. Percy | Windham, the second secretary of the British embassy, and William Gwyrn and Edward Savoy, ths secretary of state, ] private messengers, whose duty it was to attend to the affixing of the seal. The treaty YVES signed by Secretary Hay with a gold pen in a silver penholder, which had been used in the signature of other conventions, and is the personal property of the secretary.
 TEXT OF THE MAIN
 PROVISIONS OF TREATY.