CLAYTON-BULWER TREATY. A treaty between the United States and Great Britain, signed, after prolonged negotiations between Secretary of State John M. Clayton (q.v.), on the one side, and Sir Henry Bulwer, special Am bassador of Great Britain, on the other, on April 19. 1850, the ratifications being exchanged on July 4. Its aim was, mainly, to facilitate the construction of an interoeeanic canal across the American Isthmus, and incidentally to prevent the encroachment of either contracting power upon the territory of the Central American States: and its main provisions were as follows: (1) Neither power was ever to "obtain or maintain for itself any exclusive control over the said ship-canal," or to "occupy, or fortify, or colonize, or assume or exercise any dominion over Nicaragua, . . or any part of Cen tral America." (2) The two powers formally agreed to guarantee the protection and neutrality of the canal. (3) They further agreed to invite friendly powers "to enter into stipulations with them similar to those they had entered into with each other." and also to enter into treaties with the Central American States "for the pur pose of more effectually earryino. out the great design of this convention." (4) Vessels of the two powers were, while traversing the canal in time of war, to be exempt from detention, block ade, or capture. (5). The protection of the two powers was extended to any other practicable communications across the Isthmus, whether by railroad or canal, the intention being "to estab lish a general principle," as well as to settle one particular object. At the time the ratifications were exchanged. both powers issued explanatory declarations. Great Britain announcing that !"her Majesty's Government do not understand the en gagements of that convention as applying to her Majesty's settlement at Honduras. or its de pendencies:" the United States, that the treaty was not understood "to include the British settle ment in Honduras, commonly called 'British Honduras,' as distinct from the State of Hon duras. nor the small islands in the neighborhood of that settlement, whieh may be known as its dependencies." Disputes arose over the terri tonal claims of Great Britain in Central Amcri ea, and her assumption of a protectorate over the Mosquito Indians, conflicting interpretations be ing placed on -carious provisions of the treaty by the two powers. Another treaty, the Dallas-Clar
endon treaty, designed to settle the ilanuling dis putes, was signed in October, 1856, and was rat ified by the Senate soon afterwards, with the addition of various amendments. Which, however, the British refused to accept. Dis putes continued almost up to the time of the Civil IVar: but in 1860 Great Britain concluded trea ties with Honduras and Nicaragua, which pro vided for the cession to the former of the Bay Islands, and the relinquishment of the British protectorate over the Mosquito Indians. Presi dent Buehanan thereupon atinoimeed, in his message for 1860, that "the discordant construc tions of the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty between the two Governments . . . have resulted in a final settlement, entirely satisfactory to this Government." Nevertheless, after the close of the war, controversies again arose, and in 1881 the treaty was the subject of a compromise between Lord Granville and Secretary of State Blaine, the latter contending that any inter oceanic canal across the American Isthmus should he under the political control of the United States; that. the United States would view with grave concern the interference of Euro pean powers; and that the treaty should be so modified as to make it conform to conditions which had materially changed since 1850. Sec retary of State Frelinghuysen. who succeeded Blaine. in December. 1881, went further. and contended that the treaty had become obsolete, and was in reality no longer binding on either power: while, on the other hand, Lord Granville asserted that the treaty had never been abrogat ed. and was still in force. Finally, by the Hay Pauncefote Treaty, which was ratified by the United States Senate in December. 1901, the Clayton-Bnlwer Treaty was formally annulled. Consult Travis, The History of the Clayton I.:ul•er Treaty (Ann Arbor. Mich., 19001—vol. iii. of the "Publications of the Michigan Political Science Association."