The interplay of national interests has already been mapped so far as some of the larger problems are concerned. Of those that remain the majority were not very vividly in the foreground during the year. Two of the most important of these questions arose from the situation in the Balkans and the situation in South America--hot-beds of intrigue and revolution. And looming vaguely over these was the progressive movement for the inter-oceanic canal to be dug through Nicaragua or through the Isthmus of Panama. Soon after the United States Congress assembled in December, 1900, the Senate began to discuss a treaty which had been negotiated by John Hay, Secretary of State, and Lord Pauncefote, the British Ambassador to the United States. The convention was designed to abolish the restraining conditions of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty of 1850, under which Great Britain and the United States had agreed that neither Power should assume exclusive control of the canal then projected. By the end of the century it had become clear that the United States would have to build the canal, and with American capital. Hence the provisions of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty had become obsolete. The Isthmian Canal The Hay-Pauncefote treaty recognized the right of the United States to dig and control an Isthmian canal. It promised the neutrali zation of the canal-that is, that vessels of all nations might use the canal in time of war as in time of peace, and that no acts of war might be committed within its limits. The United States Senate, dissatisfied With the treaty as formulated, undertook to amend it, and so modified it as to the to the to give it a radical import. One clause was introduced abrogating Clayton-Bulwer treaty in its entirety. Another amendment reserved own interests. Though it was apparent that in its revised form it would be unacceptable to the British Government, the treaty was ratified by the Senate on December 20, 1900. In order to make the treaty effective it was required that Great Britain ratify it by March 4, 1901. The British Government killed the treaty by pigeon-holing it and waiting for the ratification period to expire. This had been the expected result of the United States Senate's chauvinism. But the instrument was not permitted to lapse without notice. Lord Lansdowne, the British Foreign Secretary, pronounced over the dead parchment a funeral oration in which he explained the cause of its decease. His views were stated in an official letter to Lord Pauncefote, which was made public on March 25-a letter which threw unexpected light on the situation. I Lord Lansdowne began by pointing out that the negotiations had originated with the United States Government. The British Government "accepted the convention unconditionally as signal proof of their desire not to impede the execution of the project declared to be of national importance to the people of the United States." As to the attitude of the Washington Government toward the old Clayton-Bulwer treaty, Lord Lansdowne wrote: "You [Lord Pauncefote] were most emphatically assured that the President had no intention whatever of ignoring the Clayton-Bulwer convention, and that he would loyally observe, treaty stipulations. But in view of the strong national feeling in favor of the construction of a Nicaragua Canal, and of the improbability of the work being accomplished by private enterprise, the United States Government were prepared to undertake it themselves upon obtaining the necessary powers from Congress. For that purpose, however, they must endeavor to obtain the consent of Great Britain to such a modification of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty as, without affecting the general principle therein declared, would enable the great object in view to be accomplished for the benefit of the commerce of the world." With this statement of the situation as viewed by the British Government, Lord Lansdowne discussed the amendments proposed by the United States Senate. As to the abrogation of the former treaty he said: "The Clayton-Bulwer treaty is an international compact of unquestionable validity, a contract which, according to the laws of inter |