valleys (through which the Aglaseniqua, Aglatomate, and other rivers have their course) into almost isolated hills, as has been minutely explained in my paper read before the British Association at their Edinburgh meeting in July 1850, in my report to Lord Palmerston, dated 15th of January, 1851, and in a pamplet on the "Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal," lately published by me. Not satisfied with crossing the Isthmus once only in 1849, I returned again from the Atlantic to the Pacific, having cut a picadura, or track for myself through the bush, from Port Escoscés to the river Savana, which I navigated always, except on one occasion, alone, paddling myself in a little canoe. In 1850 I again crossed and recrossed this part of the Isthmus, and again in August and September, 1851, I at several times, and in different lines, crossed from the Savana River to the seabeach on the Atlantic. Further, I have resided on several occasions with the Indians who dwell at some distance from the route; and have invariably been kindly treated by them, and more particularly by those who reside on the banks of the Aglaseniqua or Caledonia River, called by the old Scotch colonists Rio del Oro, or Golden River. Thus more has been done in the exploration of the Isthmus than "Nemo" appears to be aware of; though what has been discovered has been the result of personal and private enterprise and adventure, and not of any assistance from Government or any public company. I am, Sir, your most obedient, humble servant, 302, Strand, Feb. 14. From The Times of 16th February. Convention between Her Majesty and the United States of America, relative to the Establishment of a Communication by Ship-Canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Signed at Washington, April 19, 1850. [RATIFICATIONS exchanged at WASHINGTON, JULY 4, 1850.] Presented to both Houses of Parliament, by command of Her Majesty, August, 1850. HER Britannic Majesty and the United States of America being desirous of consolidating the relations of amity which so happily subsist between them, by setting forth and fixing in a Convention their views and intentions with reference to any means of communication by Ship-Canal, which may be constructed between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, by the way of the River St. Juan de Nicaragua, and either or both of the Lakes of Nicaragua or Managua, to any port or place on the Pacific Ocean; Her Britannic Majesty has conferred full powers on the Right Honourable Sir Henry Lytton Bulwer, a Member of Her Majesty's Privy Council, Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Her Britannic Majesty to the United States; and the President of the United States, on John M. Clayton, Secretary of State of the United States, for the aforesaid purpose; and the said Plenipotentiaries having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in proper form, have agreed to the following Articles. ARTICLE I. THE Governments of Great Britain and the United States hereby declare that neither the one nor the other will ever obtain or maintain for itself an exclusive control over the said Ship-Canal; agreeing that neither will ever erect or maintain any fortifications commanding the same, or in the vicinity thereof, or occupy, or fortify, or colonise, or assume or exercise any dominion over Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito Coast, or any part of Central America; nor will either make use of any protection which either affords, or may afford, or any alliance which either has, or may have, to or with any State of people, for the purpose of erecting or maintaining any such fortifications, or of occupying, fortifying, or colonising Nicaragua, Costa Rica, or the Mosquito Coast, or any part of Central America, or of assuming or exercising dominion over the same. Nor will Great Britain or the United States take advantage of any intimacy or use any alliance, connection, or influence that either may possess with any State or Government through whose territory the said canal may pass, for the purpose of acquiring or holding, directly or indirectly, for the subjects or citizens of the one, any rights or advantages in regard to commerce or navigation through the said canal, which shall not be offered, on the same terms, to the subjects or citizens of the other. ARTICLE II. Vessels of Great Britain or the United States traversing the said canal shall, in case of war between the Contracting Parties, be exempted from blockade, detention, or capture by either of the belligerents; and this provision shall extend to such a distance from the two ends of the said canal as may hereafter be found expedient to establish. ARTICLE III. In order to secure the construction of the said canal, the Contracting Parties engage that if any such canal shall be undertaken upon fair and equitable terms by any parties having the authority of the Local Government or Governments through whose territory the same may pass, then the persons employed in making the said canal, and their property used or to be used for that object, shall be protected, from the commencement of the said canal to its completion, by the Governments of Great Britain and the United States, from unjust detention, confiscation, seizure, or any violence whatsoever. ARTICLE IV. The Contracting Parties will use whatever influence they respectively exercise with any State, States, or Governments possessing, or claiming to possess, any jurisdiction or right over the territory which the said canal shall traverse, or which shall be near the waters applicable thereto, in order to induce such States or Governments to facilitate the construction of the said canal by every means in their power; and furthermore, Great Britain and the United States agree to use their good offices, wherever or however tt may be most expedient, in order to procure the establishment of two free ports, one at each end of the said canal. ARTICLE V. The Contracting Parties further engage that when the said canal shall have been completed, they will protect it from interruption, seizure, or unjust confiscation, and that they will guarantee the neutrality thereof, so that the said canal may for ever be open and free, and the capital invested therein secure. Nevertheless, the Governments of Great Britain and the United States, in according their protection to the construction of the said canal, and guaranteeing its neutrality and security when completed, always understand that this protection and guarantee are granted conditionally, and may be withdrawn by both Governments, or either Government, if both Governments or either Government should deem that the persons or company undertaking or managing the same adopt or establish such regulations concerning the traffic thereupon, as are contrary to the spirit and intention of this Convention: either by making unfair discriminations in favour of the commerce of one of the Contracting Parties over the commerce of the other, or by imposing oppressive exactions, or unreasonable tolls upon passengers, vessels, goods, wares, merchandize, or other articles. Neither party, however, shall withdraw the aforesaid protection and guarantee, without first giving six months' notice to the other. ARTICLE VI. The Contracting Parties in this Convention engage to invite every State with which both or either have friendly intercourse, to enter into stipulations with them similar to those which they have entered into with each other, to the end that all other States may share in the honour and advantage of having contributed to a work of such general interest and importance as the canal herein contemplated; and the Contracting Parties likewise agree that each shall enter into treaty stipulations with such of the Central American States as they may deem advisable, for the purpose of more effectually carrying out the great design of this Convention; namely, that of constructing and maintaining the said canal as a ship communication between the two Oceans for the benefit of mankind, on equal terms to all, and of protecting the same; and they also agree that the good offices of either shall be employed, when requested by the other, in aiding and assisting the negotiation of such treaty stipulations; and should any differences arise as to right or property over the territory through which the said canal shall pass, between the States or Governments of Central America, and such differences should in any way impede or obstruct the execution of the said canal, the Governments of Great Britain and the United States will use their good offices to settle such differences in the manner best suited to promote the interests of the said canal, and to strengthen the bonds of friendship and alliance which exist between the Contracting Parties. ARTICLE VII. It being desirable that no time should be unnecessarily lost in commencing and constructing the said canal, the |