The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-25
SUMTER s. G., SATURDAY, JANUARY 26 1913
ANSWER SENT TO ENGLAND,
TAFT INDORSES REPLY TO GREY
IN REGARD TO PANAMA
CANAL TOLLS.
VIII De Announced simultaneously i'm
London and Washington-Bryce
Already Acquainted With Main
Points.


washington, Jan. 21.-President
Taft has approved the note prepared
at the state department in reply to
the communication from Sir Edward
Grey, the British secretary for foreign
affairs, protesting against the exemp-
ton of American coastwise shipping
from the payment of tolls in the Pan
anna canal.
AS a matter Of official courtesy, in
formation is withheld as to the exact
status of the note until it has been
received by the British government
in London, through the American en-
bassy there.
1t is believed that the American
note was dispatched by mail imme-
diately upon it's approval by the presi-
Gent and that it should be in London
within a week.
The British government, however,
will not be obliged to wait that length
OF time to become acquainted with it's
contents as the amenities Of diplomacy
require that simultaneously with the
mailing Of a dispatch of this char
acter, a copy be supplied to the resi-
dent ambassador or minister Of the
power to whom it is addressed.
Ambassador Bryce, it is pointed out,
need not hesitate to make free use
of the cable to supply the British
foreign office with at least an outline
Of the American document. Ambassa-
dor Bryce, it is learned, previously
has been fairly we'll acquainted with
the nature of the reply to be sub
mitted. A week ago he was invited
to the state department and through
the courtesy of Secretary Knox was
permitted to listen to an explanation
in detail Of the American position by
Chandler Anderson, councillor Of the
state department..
Following precedents established in
the publication OF the Grey note,
1t has been arranged that Secretary
Knoxs reply shall be given out for
publication simultaneously in Wash
ington and in London.
1t is believed here that after at
tempting to eliminate a number of
propositions contained in the British
note regarded as not germane to the
self principally to the efforts to show
that the term "all nations in the
Hay Pauncefote treaty does not neces-
sarily include the United States and
that it is entirely competent for the
government TO treat it's own shipping
differently from that of other mari
time nations SO far as the canal is
concerned.
Important chapters in the history of
the negotiations that led up to the
confirmatin of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty, which were either overlooked
or omitted in the discussion Of this
important feature in the British note,
are also believed to be included in
the American presentation. 1t gen.
orally is regarded as certain that suf-
ficient new matter has been injected
into the negotiations TO warrant their
continuance for some time before the
principals are brought to the neces-
sity of final decision upon the question
of whether the issues shall be submit
ted to arbitration. Unless both par
ties should decide to abandon the mails
in favor of direct cable communica-
ton, it is evident that this point can
not be reached in the six weeks re-
naming of the life of the present
administration.