THE INTEROCEANIC CANAL PROBLEM 187 



aded ; no act of war shall take place upon it ; and hostile 

 ships leaving from either terminus must allow a period of 

 twenty -four hours to elapse between departures. No perma- 

 nent fortifications are permitted ; no nation may mass its 

 naval strength within the waters of the canal nor land troops 

 or material of war along its shores. When the neutrality of 

 the canal is threatened, the Khedive or Sultan may call upon 

 the signatory powers for assistance. Turkey, in whose 

 territory the canal lies, is entitled to exercise sovereignty 

 over it, but no contracting power may enjoy any special 

 advantages or privileges in it. All powers are invited to 

 join in this comprehensive guaranty. 



Although Russia has never been willing to join in the gen- 

 eral European guaranty, her attitude was made clear when, in 

 the Turko-Russian War she assured the powers that she had 

 no intention of threatening the neutrality of the canal, as she 

 regarded that route as belonging to the world and sacred to 

 its commerce. 



It is safe therefore to conclude that international law of 

 itself places no restrictions upon American control of a Cen- 

 tral American Canal ; further inquiry, however, develops the 

 fact that nations have come to look upon interoceanic ship 

 canals as a proper subject for treaty stipulations. The powers 

 could not as of right demand the neutralization of the Central 

 American Canal; but they will surely expect the United States 

 to admit it for the common interest of all. 



This expectation is in accord with the general theories 

 accepted by the United States until recently. This is fully 

 demonstrated by a long line of precedents. Indeed, the 

 neutralization of the canal is the traditional policy of the 

 United States. From 1825, when Mr. Clay declared that 

 the benefits of a trans-isthmian canal " ought not to be exclu- 

 sively appropriated to any one nation," until 1881, when Mr. 

 Elaine advanced the opposite theory, American statesmen of 

 all parties were intent on securing a passageway for ships 

 across the isthmus, whose absolute freedom of transit should 

 be secured by international guarantee. Every administration 

 from that of President John Quincy Adams, to that of Presi- 



