THE INTEROCEANIC CANAL PROBLEM 147 



and mutually vexatious," for which reasons, he inferred, its 

 provisions could not properly be accepted as a guide to the 

 action of either party in Central America. A full historical 

 account of these many contradictory interpretations of the 

 vexatious treaty, throughout the period of Sir William 

 Ouseley's mission to Central America, down to 1859, is 

 given. The numerous quotations presented demonstrate 

 clearly enough the dissatisfaction felt in the United States 

 throughout that period. He concludes, that for harmony's 

 sake, the objectionable features of the convention should be 

 removed by the common consent of the parties. 



The weakness in Mr. Elaine's position is at once apparent.' 

 His argument amounts to a statement that the United States,]; 

 having found the obligations of its contract irksome, and an-r 

 tagonistic to its new political policies, it therefore deems itj 

 fitting and proper to avoid them. The particular reasons ad-N 

 vanced in support of his contention are, for the most part, 

 quite unsatisfactory. The vast growth of the Pacific states, con- 

 nected by numerous railway systems with the East, had been 

 made under the very restrictions he complained of, and the 

 ability of the West coast to protect itself had been strength- 

 ened by its marvellous advance in population and wealth. 

 It is true, the interests of the United States were probably 

 greater in a Central American canal than were the interests 

 of Great Britain, yet the measure of interest cannot affect the 

 legality of the contract. England might easily have asserted 

 her own great interests in the route by simple reference to 

 her merchant marine, which exceeded many times in value 

 that of the United States ; her own territorial possessions on 

 the North American continent, having a Pacific coast line as 

 well, though less in extent than that of the United States, 

 demanded protection of their interests. The route from 

 Halifax to Vancouver would be shortened as well as the 

 route from New York to San Francisco. 



Mr. Elaine's contention that the terms of the Clayton- 

 Bulwer treaty, uniting Great Britain and the United States 

 in joint protection of the Isthmian Canal, would give to the 

 former virtual control, is scarcely true and if true, could 



