PANAMA CANAL BILL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1530, 28 August 1912, Page 7

PANAMA CANAL BILL.

CANADA TO RETALIATE.

By Telegraph—Press Association.—Copyright Ottawa, August 2G. O-.'binr.t is preparing to register a vigorous protest against the Panama Canal Bill. Tiw Borden Government will co. opsrate ■ with the British Government in pointing out that presontly tho United , States will be able to use Canadian waterways and: canals connecting tho Great Lakes without paying tolls. British Columbia will be vitally affected by tho new legislation, because.American ships sailing from Now York to San Francisco and passing through the Panama Canal toll free can continue to Vancouvor, get cargo there, and return toll frco to the Atlantic . seaboard. The consequent damage to Canadian interests is obvious, and tho Canadian Cabinet is reported to be plau- . ning retaliatory measures, NO MOVE BY BRITAIN, (Reo. August 28, 0.10 a.m.) Washington, August 27. - 'A. Mitchell Innes, ■ tho British charge- d'affaires, has not made any move in Bryco's absence in connection tvith tho Panama Canal legislation. Tho Embassy officials remark that eighteen months must elapse before the question of tolls is a practical one, and urgency is unnecessary. . Mr. Tart is still willing to allow foreigners to tost the legality of their rights to tho use of the Canal on even terms with America's ships. The opponents of the Bill are fairly confident as to the elimination of its,objectionable features by amendments during the interval, . GERMAN VIEWS, (free. August 28, 0.10 a.m.) Berlin, August 27., Tho newspaper comments on the Panama Canal Bill largely coincide with those of the English papers, and refer, to the serious injury likely to be done to German shipping. The' "Taglische Rundschau" says that if America will not reconsider her decision, it will be the duty of Germany, in conjunction with other countries, to consider the question of retaliation. THE BRITISH POSITION. la tho course of a leading article on the Panama Canal Bill last month, "The Times" said of tho proposed discrimina- . tion in favour of American ships using the canoli— "Great Britain has a special standing in the question, since the subject of tho dues to bo imposed on shipping using the canal is specifically covered by tho HayPauncefoto Treaty. Artiolo 111 of that Treaty provides for tho neutralisation of the canal on substantially the same, basis as that laid down for the Suez Canal by the Constantinople Convention of 1888. The first of the rules thus adopted declares that the canal shall be freo and open to the vessels of commerce and of war of all nations 'on terms' of entire equality,' and proceeds to state specifically that''there 6hall be no discrimination against any such nation, or its citizens or eubjects, in respect of the conditions or charges of traffic, or otherwise.' The HayPanncefote Treaty,' moreover, was sub- ■ stituted for an earlier Treaty between the United States and British Governments, the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty of 1850, and represents in itself a very great concession on the part of the British Government to American interests. Prima facie, therefore,, we have the strongest ground for asking that the provisions of the Panama Canal Bill,shall not .be-lessi 1 favourable to our own.than to American shipping; . and we cannot doubt that both the United . States Administration and Congress will be prepared to meet any representations we make with-a,'ready understanding of Vur position."