Show ENGLAND BLOCKS ISTHMIAN CANAL t Refuses to Accept Amended H Treaty Tr at T Tc 5 c t t MATTER MATTEE IS UP TO TOc c UNITED STATES NOW I 1 Nothing Will Be e Done in the Immediate Future Washington wahington March 11 The long ex expected expected expected answer from the British gov government government to the state departments communication reciting the action of the senate upon the treaty was returned at noon today Lord tie the British ambassador ambassador dor had already acquainted Secretary Hay with the fact that he had re received received a communication from front his gov government go on the subject and it had been in his possession for several days Sec Secretary Secretary Secretary Hay had acquired a general knowledge of the character of the Brit British British British ish response Lord came to o the state department at noon by appointment He brought the answer with him and read r ad it to Secretary Hay It was in the form of an instruction from Lord Lans Lansdowne Lansdowne Lansdowne downe the British minister of foreign I affairs aff to Lord and of these instructions he left a copy with Secre Secretary Secretary Secretary I tary Hay The secretary and the am ambassador ambaSsador ambassador were closeted for half an hour hourAt hourAt hourAt At the conclusion of the conference it was stated that the instruction to Lord was to notify the tile govern government government government ment of the United States that the British governments did not see its way clear to accept a of the senate amendments 0 The amendments were treated in de detail detail detail tail at some length in argumentative fashion the purpose of the British gov government government government being to show that it had sound reason for declining to accept them After Disposing of the details the note concludes with an expression of regret that such a course was forced upon the British government No Proposition Made There was nothing in the nature of ofa ofa a counter proposition nor was any opening left for further action by the I British government It was stated that If there is to be a further attempt to amend the treaty so I as to authorize the United States to construct a waterway across the isthmus mus m s then thep it is for the United States to make the overture Tile The British L simply drops the mater at this point Secretary Hay carried the communication communication cation to the White House to talk with the president as to future action of the department The impression prevails that there will be no immediate action i looking toward the negotiations of a I treaty treat r rNo No opportunity was offered this after afternoon I noon for the conference between the i president and Secretary Hay respecting the British answer therefore it cannot t be stated what action if any an will be betaken betaken taken by our government It is stated i that there is no hurry even in the event f that it shall be decided to invite Great I Britain to join in fresh negotiations j as to he isthmian canal congress not I being in session to consider a treaty if one should be framed The belief seems to be warranted that there will be no further negotiations 3 on the subject in the immediate future unless some event not now foreseen by r the officials causes a radical change ch in For the present the text of the British answer will be withheld from publication publication tion Uon this side of the water at any rate although it Is said that after the tile president president president dent has thoroughly considered the matter some general statement may be made as to the points developed Answer is a Long One The British answer Is long as such documents go and would make mak about two newspaper columns TIle THe tone of the reply plY is distinctly friendly through throughout gh out particularly so in the concluding assurances assurances of good will and a desire to t cooperate in the realization of the un undertaking undertaking undertaking Although the text is with withheld withheld withheld held it is understood that the answer takes up the three amendments made by the senate and presents the difficulties difficulties ties in the way of assenting to them themAs themAs themAs As to the amendment which struck out all that clause of the treaty inviting other maritime nations to concur in the neutralizing of the canal the BritiSh view is that while the United States and Great Britain can bind themselves by treaty to neutralize the canal they cannot make this action binding on all other governments unless these gov governments governments governments consent As entire abrogation of the treaty as provided by byone byone byone one of the senate amendments it ap up appears appears pears to tobe be the British view that such sucha a step is too to be taken until each ench side of the case is presented The Davis amendment ap appears appears appears pears however to be the chief ob obstacle obstacle obstacle stacle in the way of an agreement and while the British answer makes no sug suggestion suggestion of any further negotiation it seems to be a fair inference from its general tenor that if a modification of this amendment could be secured there could probably toe he an adjustment jin tIent cut upon u U UA the other othes v difference ii A reading of the answer r makes plain that while it does not make m ke counter propositions or propose further action a Uon yet it does not preclude such action by b laying down a course coure which will wUl be b ad adhered adhered adhered hered to without the slightest t devia deviation deviation deviation tion British Interests Involved On the contrary the answer takes the form of an argument tending to show that the amendments proposed by bythe bythe the senate do not fairly consider the various British interests involved and ana that for that reason they cannot be he ac accepted accepted accepted form presented There is in the tl e nothing peremptory In the tone of the answer The negotiations have been in progress for something over two years and owing to the great interests involved they have constituted constituted constituted the international question at is issue issue issue sue before the th state department The treaty was as signed sl ed prior to the opening congress and was of the submitted to the senate in December 1899 1809 It at once encountered opposition in that body but after some delay was finally ratified after several amend amendments amendments amendments ments had been adopted The chief issue was made on what was known as the Davis amendment While in terms this did cid Id not give the j the United States a right to fortify canal yet in general language it ex expressed expressed expressed pressed the right of this country countr to adopt such measures in regard to the canal as were deemed necessary for tor forthe forthe the roper maintenance of American authority I AL After L extended debate in executive session two other amendments were adopted and the treaty was ratified as amended The other two amendments abrogated the treaty I and struck at the provision of the treaty which invited other foreign gov governments govI I to express their approval of it Neutralizing of Canal CanalAs CanaLAs As the amendments created condi conditions conditions which the British government had not concurred in when the original original inal ma treaty was made it was necessary S to present the instrument in its amend amended I ed form to that government for its approval It is understood that one I moving consideration in the minds of the British statesmen who considered the answer to be he made was that their 1 determination affected not only Great Britain and her interests Hn n the canal canali i but all the maritime nations of Europe I I and of the world at large as the com corn comI J I neutralizing neutralising of the canal under the terms of the treaty would have the I I effect of conferring the same rights and andi i i usage to Germany France brance and other otherL I nations that were enjoyed by Great Britain It was rather in the character I of trustee for the maritime nations that the amended treaty y was consid consIdered considered ered Furthermore an important consider consideration consideration consideration was as to the effect of the new instrument incompletely wiping out the 1 I I Clayton Bulwer treaty tr aty and a nd the rights I which Great Britain claimed under I that document Some of the British I statesmen held thai thO there should be 1 quid guid pro quo if claims under i the Cl J treaty tr aty were sur surrendered surrendered surrendered I rendered It was also held that Great j I Britain had certain vested rights In Jn Central America which had given place to the treaty so o I 1 that if the treaty was was to be succeeded I by b something som thing less substantial then the theold theold theold old vested rights of Great Britain were obligated without any adequate re returns returns returns turns Would Avoid a Breach f At the same time the understanding f here is that the sentiment of British as to avoid a breach or issue I with the United States and if possible possible I ble to arrange a common basis of agreement In some British quarters it was held that too much friction al already already already ready had been caused by the canal issue and that since the States was willing to invest hundreds of mil mu millions millions lions of dollars required for the canals construction and then admit to it the of Great Britain and the world wold at large it was but just to give gie the American government a certain de degree degree degree gree of ot control over the canal I f I I larl when its political necessities r lf re I qui red such authority In this spirit and with these the conflicting the matter has been pending be fore the British cabinet as a result of the formal answer communicated by Lord today The effect of the British Brit answer can cannot cannot cannot not be to restore the life Ufe of the Hay Har I treaty so far tar as now ap apI I pears The document had a distinct limitation within which it could be ratified and no doubt seemed to exist that the period perlo expired when the senate adjourned The answer is chiefly Important therefore as making clear the attitude of the British government alongside the attitude of the American govern government government government ment With the two positions thus thu clearly defined d it remains remaIn to be seen whether the United States government will carry on further negotiations as asI may reconcile differences and bring I about a common ground of action |