The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1912. BRITAIN AND THE PANAMA CANAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 13 December 1912, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1912. BRITAIN AND THE PANAMA CANAL.

In view of current cable references to AnHo-American relations icoriearning tb/Pamaraa 'Canal, at is interesting xo note that not long ago, in summing up an historical review .of- British a<nd American treaty relations with respect to ithis matter? the " New York Journal of 'Commerce" said i—" 'Boat thf patient investigator,, may watch in-viain through 'all tho long list of state papers on this subject which have emanated .•from-our government, for any. hint or " suggestion that it reserved the right to confer on American ships using the canal any special privilege or rexemption whiatever." In 1850 Sir Henry Lyttdii Bufliwer, British Minister at Washington, and Mr. John tM. Oliayton, United States Secretary of State, signed a treaty setting forth the rd-aitions of the.iwo countries "with respect to any means of comimunicatip-n,, toy ship canal which may lie constructed between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by way of the River San Juian de Nicaragua." The Americans sought this treaty because of the rights lassepfcedj by. ■ Great Britain over the (Mosquifto Coast of Nicaragua. Britain dedlined* to forego its rights in that quarter, feuit intimated its willingness .to enter into a treaty for a joint proteotorate over the proposed canal. The**' Journal of Commerce " points out that all through the resolutions and agreements the consideration of a canal across the Isthmus was treated as an enterprise in which the United S'ta<tes, with or without the co-aperaliion hi 'Great Britain,, was to act as trustee for other nations. But there was to be absolute equality in.the use of the canal. The ultimate object, according to President Polk, was ."to secure for all nations the free and equal right of passage over the*[sth!mus. Tim was made dlear in the CKiayton^Builiwer treaty. In that treaty it was establish* ed that Britain had a joint respojrisiibi'lity with respect to the canal, and tho Hay-Pauncefote treaty was designed to remave any embarrassmenit which might arise because otf British rights under «fee former treaty; out it was specified that there should be no impairment of the 'general principle of neutralisation established in Article VIII. of the OlaytonJJulwer pact. Indeed', it wtas said at Washington that the Hay-Pauiiioew fote treaty brought about the consummatiom desired by President Cleveland in his annual message in 1885 that— " Whatever highway may bo Oonstruoted across the dividing the two^ greiaitest maritime areas of tha wcw-ld must be for the world's ■beaieiit,. .a trust for mankind, to be removed from the cluanice of domination by any single power, nor .become a point of invitation for hostilities or .a prize for wiarliki amlbitions." Nowhere hi tho whole 'record, says the " Journal of Commerce," is there any euggestioiE that the United States Government resertved the right to favour American shipping in any way not "shared by the shipping of all other iiiations.