THE INTEROCEANIC CANAL PROBLEM 107 



purported to recognize actual rights of sovereignty in the 

 Mosquito king. 



These English encroachments upon American soil were 

 regarded with growing apprehension in Washington, not 

 only because it seemed to be a clear and open defiance of the 

 Monroe Doctrine, but also because it was foreseen that 

 English acquisition of territory, through which the proposed 

 Nicaraguan Canal must pass, would likely give rise in the 

 future to many serious difficulties. Prompt action on the 

 part of Congress was demanded by the American press to 

 check this dangerous advance of British influence in Nica- 

 ragua. The isthmus routes were as yet unappropriated, 

 and to gain an equal advantage with Great Britain, Presi- 

 dent Polk at once concluded a treaty with New Granada, 

 now known as the United States of Colombia, securing 

 to the United States exclusive rights of transit across the 

 isthmus, in return for our promise to maintain the absolute 

 neutrality of the transit line, and a further pledge to 

 guard, against all attack, New Granada's complete politi- 

 cal sovereignty over any line of transit the United States 

 might construct within her territory. While securing these 

 rights and privileges over the lower isthmus, President 

 Polk despatched Mr. Elijah Hise to Nicaragua to investi- 

 gate and report upon the recent acts of the British in con- 

 nection with the Mosquito king, and also upon the extent of 

 their encroachments, if any, upon the rights of Nicaragua. 

 He was not clothed with powers to enter upon any negotia- 

 tions whatever, the purpose of his mission as charge d'affaires 

 being, besides one of investigation, to use his influence in 

 establishing more cordial relations with Nicaragua. Hav- 

 ing arrived upon the scene, however, Mr. Hise became 

 convinced that his duty was to obtain for his country the 

 most liberal treaty possible from Nicaragua. He soon dis- 

 covered ample evidences of a British purpose to secure 

 possession of ports upon both coasts of Nicaragua, which 

 would enable them absolutely to control the canal that it 

 was hoped might some day connect the oceans at that point. 

 The recent acquisition of California with its promises of 



