history, especially those suggested by the proposed isthmian canal. The meeting was held in the rooms of the American Philosophical Society. Mr. Hiram Bingham, Jr., read an interesting account of the Scots Darien settlement in 1698. With new details and with reference to new materials, the story was told of the organization of Paterson's famous company, its dastardly mismanagement, the sufferings of the colonists, and the final miserable failure of the enterprise. Prof. George G. Wilson, of Brown University, commented on a letter of Humboldt, recently printed in the American Historical Review. He spoke of the influence of the letter and the value of the information and advice it contained. Prof. L. M. Keasbey, of Bryn Mawr, rapidly traced the history of the Isthmian transit question, and designated four distinct phases through which the policy regarding the transit between the oceans has passed: First, the very early national European policy, coming from the fact that Spain held colonies on the Pacific and that England also desired influence in the region and sought to control the passage; second, the Anglo-American policy, ending in the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, which provided for the neutrality of the canal; third, the international policy, following the example of the international guaranty of neutrality of the Suez Canal; fourth, the American national policy, arising from the American practice of holding aloof from the European concert, as well as from our peculiar interest and commanding position in the Western Hemisphere. Prof. John H. Latané, of Washington and Lee University, in a paper on The Neutralization Features of the HayPauncefote Treaty, ably discussed the general principle involved in the term neutralization and tried to deduce from examples of so-called neutralized countries and waterways the real significance of the term and the duties, rights, and obligations involved. He advanced the view that while the HayPauncefote treaty professes to establish neutralization, its provisions are in reality contradictory and ambiguous, and that so long as England wishes to maintain a free hand in the management of the Suez Canal, which she still does in spite of the convention of 1888, she will probably not be disposed to hold the United States to a strict interpretation of the Hay a July, 1902. Pauncefote treaty, for the conditions of the Suez and Panama canals are so similar that any rule which may be developed in the one case will in all likelihood be applied in the other. In a paper entitled Central America and the American Foreign Policy, Dr. J. M. Callahan emphasized the necessity of a study of the diplomatic correspondence of commercial as well as of political agents in Spanish America, beginning with 1809. Only by such study, he said, could one understand the development of the idea of the Monroe doctrine in the mind of Monroe, who was Secretary of State from 1811 to 1817 and continued to read the dispatches after he became President. In 1823, after issuing his message, he sent one of his closest friends on a secret mission to watch the Holy Alliance. Dr. Callahan also gave a sketch of our relations with Central America from 1822 down to the end of the civil war. It is noteworthy that in the time of Buchanan one of our prominent diplomats, in a long dispatch, proposed that the United States should enter into treaties of alliance with the Spanish-American Republics, on the basis of the Monroe doctrine and non-expansion toward the South. It is plain that during the civil war Central America, fearing European intrusion and the possible encroachment of the filibusters, favored the cause of the North and Union and became more and more friendly with the authorities at Washington. Prof. Theodore S. Woolsey was not present, and his paper was therefore read by Mr. J. B. Henderson, Jr., to whom the Association was chiefly indebted for the preparation of the programme for this session. The paper presented a parallel between the problems of the Suez Canal and those presented by the Panama Canal. The new canal, like the older one, would effect a change in the world's trade routes, and the courses of both canals lie within the limits of States themselves too poor and too weak to act as protectors. They will inevitably bring up political and military questions of similar import; they are alike in the early application of principles of neutralization by general guaranty and in the later substitution of national for international guaranty. Moreover, Professor Woolsey prophesied that as England has strengthened her hold upon Egypt to control Suez, so the United States, forced to protect the canal, is likely to acquire a certain polit ical authority in Central America and to assume large responsibility for the conduct of the United States of Colombia. After the formal papers, Mr. J. G. Rosengarten, of Philadelphia, spoke entertainingly of the history of the American Philosophical Society from the time of its foundation by Franklin, one hundred and fifty years ago, and of the valuable manuscript materials in the vaults of the society, not the least important being the original journals of the Lewis and Clark expedition, an exact transcription of which is soon to be published. At the Washington meeting the members who were present from the South held an informal gathering and appointed a committee to investigate the status of historical study and teaching in the Southern States and to make a report at the Philadelphia meeting. This committee, of which Prof. Frederick W. Moore, of Vanderbilt University, was chairman, after a careful examination of more than sixty degree-conferring institutions, reported to the group of Southern members in attendance at Philadelphia. The report showed that history is taught in every one of these institutions, that in each of them fully half the students are cach year enrolled in at least one class in history, and that while twelve colleges offer less than six hours per week there are sixteen offering more than twelve. In more than fifty of the cases examined the professor has to give a portion of his time to other subjects. The course in history offered in many instances is not strong, but the outlook is very encouraging. Noteworthy improvement in many directions has come within the past ten years. Some twenty institutions have extended their courses of history and have put the work in charge of young men who have taken their degrees at the best institutions in America and abroad. There are, moreover, many Southern students engaged in working for the doctorate in the larger universities of the country, and they are writing creditable dissertations and making important investigation of historical material. The professors in the Southern colleges are not only offering stimulus to their students, but are themselves engaged in work of historical research. The committee recommended that investigation be made into the facilities offered by American colleges before 1860 for the study of history and allied subjects, as well as into the character of the instruction furnished. In accordance with this suggestion such a committee was appointed. The business meeting of the Association, which was held Monday afternoon, was not less interesting and significant than the other sessions. It showed that the Association is growing in strength and has to a remarkable degree enlisted the cooperation of the active historical workers of the country, each one of whom is ready to do his part in the various enterprises that are under way. The number of members is now so large and the different parts of the country so well represented that some new need in organization and in methods of administration is not unlikely soon to arise. The idea of having a special section for the consideration of questions in diplomatic history and of problems in international law and practice has already been mentioned. Something was also said at this meeting of the desirability of finding some means for the more intimate association of those especially engaged in the study of political science and kindred subjects. Such an informal organization as that made by the Southern members at Washington and continued at Philadelphia is an indication of the various interests included in the Historical Association, and an example of how those interested in a special line of work or in particular investigation may make use of the general gathering for furthering their study and carrying on their plans. After all, in spite of the different elements that seem to be coming together, there is no great danger of disruption of the larger body. History, it may safely be said, is a commanding subject, and is not likely to be subordinated to other studies, while the capacity for organization and progress shown by its course in the past seems to prove the Association competent for solving the problems which its very advancement and success have brought in their train, and for working out the completer system which development and increasing interest may demand. The American Historical Association in account with Clarence W. Bowen, treasurer. 1902. Dec. DR. 26 To paid treasurer's clerk hire, etc., vouchers 1, 26, 45, 59, 74, 84, 94, secretary's clerk hire, etc., vouchers 37, 75, 91, 113.. postage and stationery, treasurer and secretary, vouchers Public Archives Commission, vouchers 3, 4, 8, 11, 24, 29, Historical Manuscripts Commission, vouchers 5, 6, 7, 33, Winsor Prize Committee, vouchers 19, 23, 40. $178.24 367.65 115.10 175.42 3, 160.50 255.98 205.95 118.87 general committee, vouchers 39, 49, 61, 80, 81, 82, 116, 117. 182.87 account annual report, 1900, vouchers 2, 90.. 40.50 account annual report, 1901, voucher 53.. 4.00 printing 1902 catalogue, voucher 47 108.00 expenses eighteenth annual meeting, voucher 101. 10.75 expenses executive council, voucher 108. 10.00 engraving certificates, vouchers 16, 28, 72, 95, 110.. 4.00 9.73 41.00 bank collection charges, vouchers 32, 51, 65, 73, 76, 96, 114... 5 shares American Exchange National Bank stock, certificate of deposit, United States Trust Co., voucher 62.. 1,387.50 4,875.00 425.00 2, 194.21 14,170.27 Bank stock, 5 shares American Exchange National Bank, New York, at $270.. Herbert B. Adams legacy. Accrued interest on certificate of deposit. June 17, 1902, to date, at 3 per cent....... Total. An increase during the year of . Or, deducting Adams legacy, of $1, 066. 56. Respectfully submitted. PHILADELPHIA, December 26, 1902. H. Doc. 461, pt 1-3 $12,000.00 1,350,00 2, 194.21 $4,875.00 78.00 4,953,00 20.497.21 6.019.56 CLARENCE W. BOWEN, Treasurer. |