Page 113 - The interest of America in sea power, present and future

94 The Isthmus and Sea Power.

interference in the Isthmus, and at the same
time takes no steps to formulate a policy or
develop a strength that can give shape and
force to her own pretensions, just so long will
the absolute control over any probable con-
tingency of the future rest with Great Britain,
by virtue of her naval positions, her naval
power, and her omnipresent capital.
A recent unofficial British estimate of the
British policy at the Isthmus, as summarized
in the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty, may here have
interest : " In the United States was recog-
nized a coming formidable rival to British
trade. In the face of the estimated disad-
vantage to European trade in general, and that
of Great Britain in particular, to be looked
for from a Central American canal, British
statesmen, finding their last attempt to control
the most feasible route (by Nicaragua) abor-
tive, accomplished the next best object in the
interest of British trade. They cast the onus
of building the canal on the people who would
reap the greatest advantage from it, and who
were bound to keep every one else out, but
were at the same time very unlikely to under-
take such a gigantic enterprise outside their