The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-26
BRITISH REPLY
IS MADE PUBLIC
CIayton-BuIwer Treaty, 1t Declares,
Is lnvioIabIe.
AMENDMENTS MADE BY SENATE
His Majesty's Government Thinks They In
voIve Distinct Departure from the
Principle That the Canal is to
Be Free and Unimpeded.
AMENDMENTS MADE BY SENATE
(By Associated Prcss.)

WASHINGTON, March 25.-The answer
of the British Government expressing its
inability to accept the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty in the form amended by the United
States Senate was made public to-day. 1t
is in the form of communication from
Lord I4ansdowne, British Minister OF For
eign Affairs, to Lord Pauncefote, and
asks the latter to read the dispatch to.the
Secretary Of State and to leave copy in
his hands. II
Lond Lansdowne begins by showing
there was no desire on the part OF tine
British Government TO change the Clay
ton-Bulwer treaty, but some of its pro-
visions, he says, had been regarded with
disfavor by the Government of the United
States and in the Presidents message or
December, 1898, it was urged that national
policy called more imperatively than ever
for the Control of the projected high
wav by the Government of the United
States. Lord Pauncefote made inquiry OF
the Secretary of State as to this attitude
OF the President.
The result, however, of the discussions.
Lord Lansdowne says, was the treaty
which MIR. Hay handed to Lord Paunce-
fote in January, 1899.
ACCEPTED CONVENTION.
"Ier Majesty's government after due
consideration determined to accept the
convention and of their desire not to I'M
pede the execution of a project declared
to be of national Importance TO the peo-
pie of the United States
Lord Lansdowne then discussed the
right of the United States to annal the
Clayton-BrIlwer treaty, saying:
THE CIayton-BulWer treaty is an inter-
national contract of unquestionable
validity; a contract which. according to
well established international usage,
ought not to be abrogated or modified
wit no n both the
ties to the contract
Lord Lansdowne then considers the
Senate amendments declaring that the
Claytcu-Buwe treaty is hereby super
seded,' opposing this contention. He
lays most stress. however, upon the other
sent more formidable difficulties. On
these he says:
The first of them, which reserves to
the United States the right of taking
any measures which it may find neces-
sarv to secure by its own forces the de-
Tense of the United States. appears TO
His Majesty's government to involve 4
distinct departure from the principle
which has until now found
acceptance with both governments
the principle, namely: That in
time of war as we'll as in time of peace,
the passage of the canal is to remain
free and unimpeded and is to be SO main
sible for its control.
CAN'T ADMIT CONTENTION
Respecting the contention that there is
a specific prohibition in the Hay-Paunca-
fote treaty against the erection Of forth
fications, and that this would sufficiently
insure the free use of the canal. Lord
Lansdowne says this contention is one
which His Ma esty's Government is
quite unable to admit.
The third Senate amendment struck out
the provision inviting the adhesion Of
otner Powers. AS to this Lord Lans-
downe says:
The amendment not only removes all
prospect of the wider guarantee of the
neutrality of the canal, but places this
country in position OF marked dsad-
vantage compared with other Powers,
which would not be subjected to the self
denying ordinance which Great Britain
is desired to accept. 1t would follow,
We're His Maiesty's Government to agree
to such an agreement. that while the
United States would have a treaty right
to interfere with the canal in time OF
Powers could with clear conscience dis
regard any OF the restrictions imposed
by the convention, Great Britain alone
in spite of her enormous possessions on
the American continent, in spite of the
extent of her Australian colonies and her
interests in the East, would be abSo-
lutely precluded from resorting to any
such action or from taking measures to
secure her interests in and near the
canal"