lordships will recollect that Hongkong was in very much the same position as Weihaiwei is to-day. It has no custom duties, no railway communication with the interior, and yet it has proved to be a very important commercial port, and Weihaiwei has the advantage of being on the highway from the Gulf of Pechili to northern China. It has an excellent harbor, labor is cheap, and there is therefore every reason to believe that it will continue to be a useful and valuable possession. At any rate, the rumor that there is an intention on the part of His Majesty's Government to give it up, either returning it to China or handing it over to another power, is entirely without foundation. His Majesty's Government have no intention of abandoning the place, which they believe to be a very valuable possession. [Hear! hear!] The Earl of Rosebery said their lordships must have listened to the statement just made with mixed feelings. He had been in no way prepared for the explanation just made by the undersecretary for the colonies, for otherwise he would have endeavored to refresh his memory by some reference to the statements which were made at the time when Weihaiwei was first occupied. He recollected that the acquisition of the place had been announced with a flourish of trumpets, and now apparently all that was thought of it was that it was an important watering place. Was he to understand that the inquiry as to its naval and military value was held subsequently to its occupation by the Government? If so, some of the statements which were made at the time of its acquisition would appear to have been put forward with more rashness than was becoming in the case of a Government taking over an important post in an empire like China.

The Earl of Onslow: The inquiries were made subsequently to the lease.

The Earl of Rosebery said that Weihaiwei was no longer a naval base. It was no longer a place of arms; no longer a protection for our commerce or our fleets. It had become a sort of second-rate watering place. [Hear! hear! and laughter.] It was hoped that its salubrious climate would induce people to come and spend what was known as the unhealthy season there. He had no doubt that, if their lordships consulted the original authorities, they would find that the statements made by the Government compared somewhat strangely with the very piano announcement they had just listened to from the undersecretary of the colonies.

Viscount Goschen said that, as one who had held a responsible position at the admiralty when Weihaiwei was acquired, he had listened with a certain amount of surprise to some of the statements of the undersecretary of the colonies. He could assure their lordships that not long ago most exhaustive inquiries had been made into the capacities of Weihaiwei in various aspects. The question of the number of guns requisite for its fortification was carefully examined, and the subject of a breakwater was likewise considered. In fact a dredger was sent out to deepen the water. The number of battle ships which could find anchorage within the bay was also fully examined into. There was no lack of information originally, but he was disposed to think that on review His Majesty's Government had come to the conclusion on fresh information acquired that the first opinions as to the value of Weihaiwei as a naval and military base could not be sustained. There could be no doubt at the same time that Weihaiwei occupied a most important position in the Gulf of Pechili, and any power holding it possessed a strategical advantage. He hoped the Government, in deciding that it should not be a fortified place, would state whether this decision was based on financial or strategical considerations. He was glad at the same time to hear that if Weihaiwei was not to be fortified there was no intention of handing it over to another power or of returning it to China. [Hear! hear!] He felt that their lordships had not sufficient information before them to enable them adequately to debate the change of policy on the part of the Government. As to the proposed disbandment of the Chinese regiment, he understood that it had been a very successful experiment. But if there were any international reasons against making a fuller statement he should be perfectly satisfied with the explanation of the Government.

The Earl of Portsmouth was of opinion that if Weihaiwei was not to be fortified and no money spent upon it, then the place would not be a strength, but a menace to us, and that therefore if we were not to take the necessary precautions to strengthen our position there we had much better retire. He could not help being impressed by a sense of the extraordinarily flippant and careless way in which the matter had been dealt with on the part of the Government.

The Earl of Selborne: I shall be prepared to go into this question at length on any occasion in which any one of your lordships brings it again before the notice of the House, and I think perhaps later on we shall be in a better position to discuss it in the fullest detail. But I have now, and at once, to say that the decision of this question has not been financial. It has been purely strategical, and that strategy was purely naval. Lord Rosebery spoke of Weihaiwei as the protection to British

commerce. I think on reflection the noble earl would not repeat that. The only protection to British commerce in Chinese seas is the navy, and the value and importance of Weihaiwei is purely relative to the navy. Naval opinion as to the proper method of utilizing Weihaiwei has differed, and does differ; but speaking as one who has closely studied this question for more than a year, perhaps I may say that there is an extraordinary concurrence of naval opinion in favor of the course which the Government has adopted. There are, roughly speaking, two alternatives. One is to make Weihaiwei a fortress like Hongkong, the other is to use it as a peace base, and not to commit ourselves to the custody of the fortress. The naval opinion has been pronounced, and I venture strongly to concur with it, in favor of the latter course as against the former. While that decision has been taken and while naval opinion has pronounced itself in the degree I have mentioned in favor of this course, naval opinion is also equally strong as to the value, the great value, of this base to the navy, of value to the efficiency of the navy and of value to the health of the navy; and while I should oppose personally any attempt to turn Weihaiwei into a fortress like Hongkong I should also oppose any idea of surrendering it.

Earl Spencer asked the Government whether they would present full papers on the subject.

The Earl of Selborne, in reply, stated that many of the reports were confidential, but the Government would carefully consider the suggestion.

TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN TO FACILITATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SHIP CANAL.

Signed at Washington, November 18, 1901.

Ratification advised by the Senate, December 16, 1901.

Ratified by the President, December 26, 1901.

Ratified by Great Britain, January 20, 1902.

Ratifications exchanged at Washington, February 21, 1902.

Proclaimed, February 22, 1902.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, a Convention between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to facilitate the construction of a ship canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, by whatever route may be considered expedient, and to that end to remove any objection which may arise out of the Convention of the 19th April, 1850, commonly called the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, to the construction of such canal under the auspices of the Government of the United States, without impairing the "general principle" of neutralization established in Article VIII of that Convention, was concluded and signed by their respective plenipotentiaries at the city of Washington on the 18th day of November, 1901, the original of which Convention is word for word as follows:

The United States of America and His Majesty Edward the Seventh, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, and Emperor of India, being desirous to facilitate the construction of a ship canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, by whatever route may be considered expedient, and to that end to remove any objection which may arise out of the Convention of the 19th April, 1850, commonly called the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty, to the construction of such canal under the auspices of the Government of the United States, without impairing the "general

principle" of neutralization established in Article VIII of that Convention, have for that purpose appointed as their Plenipotentiaries: The President of the United States, John Hay, Secretary of State of the United States of America:

And His Majesty Edward the Seventh, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, and Emperor of India, the Right Honourable Lord Pauncefote, G. C. B., G. C. M. G., His Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States;

Who, having communicated to each other their full powers which were found to be in due and proper form, have agreed upon the following Articles:

ARTICLE I.

The High Contracting Parties agree that the present Treaty shall supersede the afore-mentioned Convention of the 19th April, 1850.

ARTICLE II.

It is agreed that the canal may be constructed under the auspices of the Government of the United States, either directly at its own cost, or by gift or loan of money to individuals or Corporations, or through subscription to or purchase of stock or shares, and that, subject to the provisions of the present Treaty, the said Government shall have and enjoy all the rights incident to such construction, as well as the exclusive right of providing for the regulation and management of the canal.

ARTICLE III.

The United States adopts, as the basis of the neutralization of such ship canal, the following Rules, substantially as embodied in the Convention of Constantinople, signed the 28th October, 1888, for the free navigation of the Suez Canal, that is to say:

1. The canal shall be free and open to the vessels of commerce and of war of all nations observing these Rules, on terms of entire equality, so that there shall be no discrimination against any such nation, or its citizens or subjects, in respect of the conditions or charges of traffic, or otherwise. Such conditions and charges of traffic shall be just and equitable.

2. The canal shall never be blockaded, nor shall any right of war be exercised nor any act of hostility be committed within it. The United States, however, shall be at liberty to maintain such military police along the canal as may be necessary to protect it against lawlessness and disorder.

3. Vessels of war of a belligerent shall not revictual nor take any stores in the canal except so far as may be strictly necessary; and the transit of such vessels through the canal shall be effected with the least possible delay in accordance with the Regulations in force, and with only such intermission as may result from the necessities of the service. Prizes shall be in all respects subject to the same Rules as vessels of war of the belligerents.

4. No belligerent shall embark or disembark troops, munitions of war, or warlike materials in the canal, except in case of accidental hindrance of the transit, and in such case the transit shall be resumed with all possible dispatch.

5. The provisions of this Article shall apply to waters adjacent to the canal, within 3 marine miles of either end. Vessels of war of a belligerent shall not remain in such waters longer than twenty-four hours at any one time, except in case of distress, and in such case, shall depart as soon as possible; but a vessel of war of one belligerent shall not depart within twenty-four hours from the departure of a vessel of war of the other belligerent.

6. The plant, establishments, buildings, and all works necessary to the construction, maintenance, and operation of the canal shall be deemed to be part thereof, for the purposes of this Treaty, and in time of war, as in time of peace, shall enjoy complete immunity from attack or injury by belligerents, and from acts calculated to impair their usefulness as part of the canal.

ARTICLE IV.

It is agreed that no change of territorial sovereignty or of the international relations of the country or countries traversed by the beforementioned canal shall affect the general principle of neutralization or the obligation of the High Contracting Parties under the present Treaty.

ARTICLE V.

The present Treaty shall be ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by His Britannic Majesty; and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington or at London at the earliest possible time within six months from the date hereof.

In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this Treaty and thereunto affixed their seals.

Done in duplicate at Washington, the 18th day of November, in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred and one.

And Whereas the said Convention has been duly ratified on both parts, and the ratification of the two Governments were exchanged in the city of Washington on the twenty-first day of February, one thousand nine hundred and two;

Now, therefore, be it known that 1, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, have caused the said Convention to be made public, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this twenty-second day of February, in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred and two, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twentysixth. THEODORE ROOSEVELT

[SEAL.]

By the President:

JOHN HAY

Secretary of State.

BRITISH PROTECTORATES IN EAST AFRICA PLACED UNDER ZONE OF TOTAL PROHIBITION OF ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS, UNDER ARTICLE XCI OF THE BRUSSELS ACT.

No. 59.]

Lord Pauncefote to Mr. Hay.

BRITISH EMBASSY, Washington, February 27, 1902.

SIR: In my note dated April 28, 1892, I had the honor, by direction of the Marquis of Salisbury, to notify to your Government the decision of Her Majesty's Government that the British protectorate of Zanzibar, including all the dominions of the Sultan, both on the island and on the mainland, should be placed under the terms of Article XCI of the act of Brussels from the 6th of April, 1892, within "the zone of prohibition of alcoholic liquors.

Since that date the territories under British protection in East Africa have from time to time been reorganized. They are now constituted under the respective titles of the British Central Africa Protectorate (formerly styled Nyasaland), the protectorate of Zanzibar, the East Africa Protectorate (comprising among other districts the mainland dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar, the Sultanate of Witu, and the adjacent territory extending northward to Kismayu), and the protectorate of Uganda.

In order to avoid the possibility of any misapprehension as to the position of these territories with regard to the stipulations of the Brussels act respecting the trade in distilled liquors, I am directed by His Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs to notify to your Government, as being one of the signatory powers of that instrument, that each of the aforesaid protectorates is and remains placed within the zone of total prohibition, under Article XCI of the Brussels act, and, further, that it has now been decided to place the British Somaliland Protectorate within the same zone.

I have, etc.,

PAUNCEFOTE.

ABDUCTION OF MISS STONE-ASSISTANCE IN RESCUE RENDERED BY BRITISH OFFICIALS IN TURKEY AND BULGARIA. @

No. 866.]

Mr. Hay to Mr. Choate.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, March 24, 1902.

SIR: I inclose a copy of part of a dispatch from the minister to the Ottoman Porte relative to the interest taken by Sir Nicholas O'Conor, the British ambassador at Constantinople; by Mr. Elliot, the British diplomatic agent at Sofia; by Mr. McGregor, the British consul at the last-named city, and by Sir Alfred Billiotti, the Brit sh consul at Salonica, in the rescue of Miss Stone.

You will say to His Majesty's Government that the Government of the United States appreciates the interest taken by the gentlemen named and is thankful for their assistance.

I am, etc.,

a See also under Turkey.

JOHN HAY.

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