SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 16 July 1901, Page 3

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

(bt electbic telegraph.) The New Canal Treaty. ? [Per B.S. Sonoma at Auckland.] San Fbancisco, June 20. Lord Pauncefote sailed from New York for England on Juno 4th. Before his departure from Washington he had a long conference with Secretary Hay regarding the perfection of the new canal treaty. It was admitted after conference that tenative negotiations for a now convention have been initiated, but beyond that no authoritative statement is obtainable. The Ambassador and Secretary have agreed not to make anything public concerniug the exchanges. Lord Pauncefote expects to spend much of his summer in consultation with the British Foreign Office officials, and when he returns to America in the autumn he will be in a position to make the concessions necessary to secure ratification by the United States Senate of a new treaty. Lord Pauncefcto is fully acquainted with the position of the United States Government on the canal question, and understands the restrictions under which the administration has been placed by the attitude of the Senate in in* sisting that the United States should have the right to take such measures as they might deem necessary to protect the canal. The State Department does not interpret the Senate amendments to mean that the neutralisation feature of the canal had been wholly repudiated, and it ie believed Lord Paunoefoto and Mr Hay have been endeavoring to reach an agreement as to a portion of the treaty dealing with neutralisation, which will meet the objections of both the British Government and the United States Senate. President McKinley's Term of Office. President McKinley has put a quietus on the third term talk, which has gained currency through Press in’erviewers with well known Republicans favouring bis renomination for a third term. A signed statement has been given out as follows “I regret that the suggestion of a third term has been made. I doubt whether I am called upon to give it notice, but there are new questions of gravest importance before the Administration and the public, and their just consideration should not be prejudiced in the public mind by even the suspicion of the thought of a third term. In view, therefore, of the reiteration of the suggestion of it, I will say now, . once and for all, that I not only am not, and will not, be a candidate for a third term, but would not accept nominations for it, if it were tendered me. My only ambition is to serve through my second term to the acceptance of my countrymen, whose generous confidence I so

deeply appreciate, and then, with them, to do my duty in the ranks of private citizenship ” The President’s act has been warmly praised on every side, and it is probable no single act of his AdminisraU ion has been so popular.