The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-28 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 28, 1856.

SALOMONS, Mayor.—A COMMON
COUNCIL, holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the
City of Lonion, on Saturday, the 26th day of April, 1856,
11esolved, —That a Committee be appqinted to prepare an address
to the Th:mbers of both [louses of Parliament, settifig forth the
graunds on which this Corporation rests iu duty bottn;l to offer its
strongest op :osition to the second readm; of the Bill intituled " A
Pill for the better reiula•ion of the Corporation of this City of Lon-
don," to conduct any proceedings that tuay bo requirel to oppose the
further progess of the same, and to report from time to thne to this
Court.

TEE COTTBAL ASE RICA IV QUESTION.

A blue-book of more-than 300 pages has been
presented to both Houses of Parliament relative to
the so-called Central Auld-dean question. It con-
sists of 189 despatches, but the whole question is
very ably'reintnedin Lora dlarebdon's note (No.
176) in reply to a - statement drawn up by Mr, Bu-
chanan; giving the views of the United States' Go-
nr t
aseto tl engagements con trac ted by Great
Britain, td u lie treaty of 1850, as regards the
Mosquito Protectorate, the British settlement of
y e
Belize, and the Island-of Ragan.
The other despatches refer to the negotiations
previous, to the Balwer-Clayton Treaty, to the oc-
cupation of Tigre Island, to the Cyano affair at
Greytown, to the alleged insult to the American
flag by the commander of her MAjesty's brig-of-war
Express, and to the various attempt& at a satisfac-
tory settlement of all questions relating to the pro-
posed route, and to' Central American affairs gene-
rally. _ _ _

MERENITETIIER

EAST INDIA. TIOU,BII, 25T3 APRIL, 1856.
PRE COURT of DIRECTORS of the EAST.
1_ lINDI COMPANY DO HEREBY GIVE NO PICE, That a
SPECIAL GE ci E AL COURT of toe said Comp tny will be hail at
their Rouse in Leadenhall-street; on WEDNESDAY, the 11th May,
at Eleven o'clock in tire foren,lon, for the purpose of layin/ before the
Proprietors for their approbation a Resolution of the Court of Direc-
tor,, of this day's,date, granting to the Marquis of Dalhousie, K.T.,
late Governor-General of India, an annuity of Five Thousand Pounds
(5 000/ ),,upon the ground. therein stated.
The Report required by the byelaw, cap. 9, sec. 3, together with
the documents upon which the said resolution has been formed, are
open to the in3pe,tion of the Pro prietors at this Ho Ise.
JAMES C. MELVILL, Secretary. •

/110 TfIE SPORTING WORLD. -DEER
SrA LKIgG and attOUS 'el 3EIOOFL:it) —The undersigned
wilt he at 21, Brewer-street, Itegent-street (In a line with Glass-
house-street), on the 4th May,with all the nee msary CLO MING for
Deer Stalking, Grouse 81footin;, Salnion Fishing, and some new and
beautiful T YEE DS for town w,ar, Bte. PLAIDS, TARTANS,
SOCKS, CLOAKS, WINO :YS, &e., &e., &
1). MAC UOUO.A.LI, of Inverness.
London, 22d April, 1156. .

The concluding d'.:spatehes relate to the " pro-
posed arbitration.' Lord. Clarendon states (No.
186) that the offer. to refer to arbitration the inter-
pretation of the treaty of 1850 had been made by
aiiinin the iiidstioratill manlier*. direction of the
Cabinet.. The explanation relhtli.if to this psint ap-
peared in The Sun of the 14th of March.
The concluding despatch (No. '189) refers more
especially to Ruatan. In it Mr. Cratnpton informs
Lord Clarendon (under date of March 31, 185.6)
that Mr, Clayton was 'informed by Sir Henry
wer, before the treaty of 1850 was signed; that
Ruatan was de jure and We facto a British possession,
and that Mr. Clayton had, on various occasions
since, in conversation "With him '(Mr. Crampton),
stated that he consideredßuatan as much a British
possession as Jamaica, or any other British 'West
Indian island.

t-SOCIETY of PAINTERS in WATER
The Fifty-second ANNUAL. EXHIBITION is n')yr open, at their
aancry, s, rail-mall East (close to Trafalgar-square), trout Nine till
Dusk. Admittanc.e, Is. ; Catalog ze, 6d.
JOSEPH J. JEgKINS, Secretary.

TMPERIAL HOTETA BILL.—At a Meeting
held the 25th day of April, 1858. present—
Mr. Wright, Clarendon Hotel,
Mr. Gardine-, Golden Cross Hotel, .
Mr.. Tames, Morley's Hotel, Charing-cross,
Mr. Claridge, Claridge's Hotel,
Mr. Jubber, Long's riota;
Mr. 1 lder, Adel old Hotel,
Mr. Thomas, Hatchet's Hotel,
• Mr. Lillyman, Brook-street,
Mr. Smith, British Hotel, Charing-cross,
Mr. Itowland, newton Hotel,
the Bill for Incorporating the Imp rrial Hotel Company was consider-
ed, and it appearing that euch Bill m as calculated to give special and
undue advantages to the promoters thereof over existing hotel pro-
prietors, the follow rig resolution was passed :
That the said Bill be odposed in Parliament, and that the urgent
co-operation of Hotel Proprietors, and others interested in the rejec-
tion of the said Bill be invited.
In furtherance of the above Resolution, a MEETING win be held
at the Caledonian Hotel, Robert.street, Adrdphi, on WEDNESDAY
next, the 31th instant, at Twelve 'clock precisely, when a Petition
to Parliament will be ready for signature.

The following is the important " note " by Lord
Clarendop mentioned above, and which may be
considered a full statement of the caso of the English
Government :

"No. 176.
" STATEMENT TO MR. BUCHANAN.
"The substance of the case submitted to her Majesty's
Government by Mr. Buchanan may be briefly stated as
follows :

"1. That Great Britain, prior to April, 1850, *eV in
possession of the whole coast of Central America, from the
Rio Hondo to the Port and Harbour of San Juan de Ni-
caragua, except that portion of it between the Sarstoon
and Cape Himduras, together with the adjacent Honduras
Wan.' of Roatan.' •
- -
" 2. That the Government of the United States does not
understand under what title Great Britain, having aban-
doned the greatet' part of these possessions in 1786, re-
sumed them subsequently ; nor does it know precisely at
what period the protectsrate of Great Britain over Mos-
quito was re-established, the first intimation which the
United States Government had received on the subject be-
ing from an American agent in 1842 ' • and that, moreover,
Captain Bonnycastle, and other authorities, had never re-
presented the Mosquito shore as extending as far as the
river and town of San Juan de Nicaragua, which latter the
Spaniards had considered a place of much importance, and
the key to the Americans.
. "3. That it appears to the United States Government
that Spain, in virtue of the treaty of 1786, had a right to
object to Great Britain establishieg herself on the aloi-
quito coast, or assuming the protectorate of Mosquito ; and
that Great Britain hall)), her treaty with Mexico recOg-
nised that the former colonies of Spain stood in the same
position with respect to other States as Old Spain herself,
and inherited the advantages of the ancient treaties of the
mother country ; that the United States' Government had
always contested 'the claim of Great Britain to all the posy
see.ions hell hy.her in Central America, with the excep-
tion of that portion of the settlement of Belize which is
situate betwet n the Rio Hondo and the Sibun ; that it had
always resisted the right of Great Britain to establish a pro-
tectorate over the Mosquito; and that it had learnt with
great surprise and regret that the British forces had, in
1848, expelled the Nicaraguan authorities, which held the
port and town of San Juan de Nicaragua iu virtue of the
Old Spanish rights, and had then hoisted thereupon the
flag of the Mosquitos.
"4. That Mr. Monroe, when President of the United
States, had, in 1823, annouliceci in a public message to
Congress tint the American continents were not hence-
forth to be considered subject to colonization by European
Powers. '
"5. That no claim on the part of Great Britain to act in
the name or under the authority of the.Mosquitoludians
could be well founded, inasinich as the face, even if never
conquered by Spain, were savages who, accerding to the
practice and principles of all European nations which had
over acquired territory on the continent of America, had
no title to rank as independent States in the territory they
occupied, but had a claim to mere occupancy thereon, such
territory being the dominion of the discoverer of it, or oven
of the discoverer of t-rritory on the same continent,
though far distant from it, by whom alone this china to
mere occupancy on the part of the Indians was to be ex-
tinguished by purchase as the advances of the White set-
tlements rendered it necessary.
" And, finally, that Great Britain, having declared by
treaty in iB5O that she would neither colonise, fortify, oc-
cupy, nor mourn's) dominion over Mosquito or Central Ame-
rica, was thereby, at all events, bound to withdraw-her
protection from the people and territory of the Mosquitos,
and moreover to deliver up Ruatan, which was an island
belonging to Honduras, a Central American State, but
which, nevertheles-, had recently been colonised and occu-
pied by Great Britain.
"Such are tha main points brought forward by Mr. Bu-
chanan in the statement which he has delivered to her
Majesty's Government.
" If, in speaking of the possessions held by Great Britain
previous to 1850 on the coost of Central America (the set-
tlement of Belize excepted), Mr. Buchanan means that his
expressions should apply to that district which is called the
Mosquito country, it is proper that her Majesty's Govern-
ment should at once state that her Majesty has never held
any possessions whatsoever in the Mosquito country. But,
although Great Britain held no possessions in the Mosquito
country, she undoubtedly exercised a great and extensive
influence over it as the protecting ally of the Mosquito King;
that King or chief having occasionally been even crowned
at Jamaica under the auspices of the British authorities.
" The United States' Government will, it is apprehended,
scarcely expect that Great Britain should enter into any
explanation or defence of her conduct with respect to acts
committed by her nearly 40years ago, in a matter in which
uo right or possession of the United States was involved.
" The Government of the United States would, it is con
ceived, be much and justly surprised if the Government of
Great Britain were now to question the propriety of any
of its own long past acts by which no territorial right of
Great Britain had been affected ; nor would. the American
people consider any justification or explanation of such
acts to foreign States consistent with the dignity and in-
dependent position of the United States.
" The Government of the United States, therefore, will
not be surprised if the Government of Great Britain ab-
stains on this occasion from entering into anything which
might appear an explanation or defence of its conduct with
regard to its long-established protectorate of the Mosquitos.
" With respect to any right, or any interference, on the
part of the Government of Old Spain on the subject of the
Mosquito protectorate, it must be observed that since the
peace of 1815 that Government has never raised any ques-
tion with respect to this protectorate ; and as for Great
Britain having by her treaty with Mexico recognised, as a
principle, that the engagements between herself and Spain
were necessarily transferred to every fraction of the Spanish
monarchy which now exists, or may exist, on a distinct and
independent basis, her Majesty's Government must entirely
deny this assumption. Great Britain, in her treaty with
Mexico, simply stipulates that British subjects should not
be worse off under Mexico independent than under Mexico
when a Spanish province. It was natural in recognising
the independence of Mexico that Great Britain should
make such a stipulation; but the fact of her doing so rather
proves that she thought a special stipulation necessary, and
that she did not conceive that she would have enjoyed un-
der any general principle the privilege she bargained for ;
and this stipulation, as indeed the treaty itself, is a proof
that Mexico was not considered as inheriting the obliga-
tions or rights of Spain.
" Bet, admitting that it may in some cases be expedient,
although not obligatory, to recognise the rights and obliga-
tions of Old Spain as vested in the new Spanish-American
States; and allowing that, in conformity with that policy,
Great Britain might have thought proper to receive, con-
cerning Mosquito, the remoustrances of those neighbouring
republics which have successively risen in America on the
ruins of the Spanish empire; even then it may be observed
that no remonstrance was made by any of such republics
for many years after the protectorate of Great Britain over
Mosquito had been a fact well known to them ; and, more-
over, that when such remonstrances were made, they were
made with similar pretensions, not by one only, but by
several of those Governments, insomuch that, if the Mos-
quito Indians were at this moment withdrawn altogether
from the portion of America which they now inhabit, and
if it were permitted to the States of Spanish origin to in-
herit-, each respectively, the claims of their parent State, it
would still be a question on which of the claimants the
territory thus left unoccupied would of right devolve ;
while it is certain that such withdrawal,•without previous
arrangements, would lead to contests alike disadvantageous
to the real interests of the several States and to the gene-
ral prosperity of Central America herself.
" Thus much with reference to the conduct and position
of Spain and the Central American States with regard to ,
the British protectorate in Mosquito ; but, with respect to
the conduct and position of the United States relative
thereto, Mr. Buchanan is mistaken in thinking that the
United. States' Government has always contested and re-
aisted the position assumed by Great Britain on the Mos-
quito coast.
"It may be true that the United States were not in-
formed of the position of Great Britain in respect to Mos-
quito until 1842, but they. were then informed of it; and
yet there is no trace of their having alluded to this ques-
tion in their communications with her Majesty's Govern-
ment up to the end of 1849. Nay, in 1850, when the Pre-
sident of the United States presented to Congress various
papers relative to the affairs of Central America, it will be
seen that, on introducing these affairs to the attention of
Congress, the President's Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs expressly says that the Government of Nicaragua,
in November, 147, solicited the aid of the United States'
Government to prevent an anticipated attack on San Juau
by the British forces on behalf of the Mosquito King, but
received no answer ; that tho President of Nicaragua ad-
dressed the President of the United States at the same
time, and received no answer ; that in April, lalB, the
United States! Consul at Nicaragua, at the request of the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of that republic, stated the oc
cupation of San Juan by a British force, but was not
answered ; that on the sth- of November, 1848, M. Cas-
tellon, -proceeded to London from Nicaragua, and then to
Washington, addressed a letter to the United States' Secre-
tary of State, soliciting his intervention with regard to
the claims of 'Great Britain in right of the Mosquito
King, and received no answer; that on the 12th of

RIT'YLL ROOMS -LAURENT'S CASINO
L$ • NOW OPEN for. the winter sclson. Prin .ipal Cornet
Piston, R. lioulcourt.—Doors open at 8. Admission One Shilling
I. Laurent's new Varsoviana and St. Patrick Quadrille every night

R. • s
—l.lfty .in—st.antarr2o9s Leta' niSoOrpLiniseso
ooff
v9opopclhTalj raßoct:,..,
aid Costume, concluding with an impersonation of Mlle. Rachel, as
Camille, in " Les Boraces," TO-N !GM'. and every evening, at 8.
Private boxes and stalls may be secured in advance, without extra
charge. Polygraphic-hall, King William-street, Charing-cross. A
Performance every Saturday Meriting at 2 o'clock, and night at 8.

ROYAL CREIVIORNE GARDENS.—Open
,Daily; admission la.—Grand Vocal and Instrumental Con-
cert every evening at six, supported by eminent artists—Ballet
Di vertisement—Grotesque Chinese Pas-da-TroisTroupe of Trained
Dogs—Spanish Ballet—the are Devani.-Dancing sl Fresco, &c
Sze. On Sunday, at Tour o'c!ock, the whole of the extensive grounds
are open for promenade, from which time until seven in the evening
an Orchestra of first-rate musicians will give effect to the composi-
tions of the most renowned masters, both ancient and modern, in.
clutlng Handel, Hadyn, Mozart, Be thoven, Weber, Bleye beer,
Mendelesohn, Rossini, Hamz, Herold, &c.

'l"i HE Beautifully-painted. DIORSIVIA. of the
Far Interior orsour II Ali` [MA, now op is at 232, Piccadilly,
wld shortly Cloie, as Mr. GOItDON CUMMING is about to leave
Lon.'on. It brings fresh to the beholder 1113 startling encounters
with the stupcn' 0113, curious, and beautiful aniinsls which roam
these miahtv solitudes; and illustrates in a striking manner the
vatted rms.-vale scenery, and the Manners 4nd Cu •totus of the Savage
Tribes. Mr. Gordon Cumming personally describes the Diorama in
his new and popular Eotertainment every evening at .8, except
Saturday. A' Morning Performance an Saturday at 3. Piano, by
Mr. H-frries Wilson. Admission, ; staas, 25.; reserved seats, 3s.
Children half-price in the'reserved seats.
"One of the most interesting and remarkable entertainments on
record."—Lilerary Gazette.

CRYSTAL PAL ICE.—CONCERTS.—These
Concerts, twelve in number, will take place
on FRIDAY AFTERNOONS iu May, June, and July, the
fast being on the 16th May. They will be supported by the
following eminent Artistes :
Al:idanie GRIST,
Mademoiselle JENNY NEY, •
Mademoiselle DIDIEE,
Mademoiselle MARIA,
• Mademoiselle BOSIO,
Signor LA.BLACHE, Signor RONCONI,
Signor GARDONI, Signor LUG HEM,
Signor TAGLIAFICO, Signor ZELGER,
I err FORMES, Signor GRAZIANI,
Signor POLONINI, Signor GREGORIO,
Signor SOLDI,
And Signor MARIO.
Tho Band of the Royal Italian Opera is engaged, and will
be considerably augmented. Mr., COSTA has also most kindly
offered his valuable aid, and will himself conduct a portion of
the Concerts.

The =2ollow:ng Three Classes of Tickets are issued for the
present Season, available from the Ist May, 18CG, to he 30th
April, 1857:-
1. Season Tickets (not transferable) admitting the holder
to the Palace and Park on all occasions whatsoever, with the
sole exception of the 12 days on which the Concerts by the
Opera Company take place—One Guinea.
2. Season Tickets (not transferable), admitting the holder
on all occasions, including the above Concerts—Two Guineas.
3. Transferable Tickets, admitting to the above Twelve
Concerts and to the Flower Shows, hut not available on any
other days—Two Guineas.
The number of tickets issued under Classes 2 and 3 will be
limited to such a number as can be properly accommodated
at the Concerts.
The Tickets may be obtained at—
The Crystal Palace (Centre Transept and Railway Entrances).
The Company's Office, 79, Lombard-street.
The London Bridge Station of the Brighton Railway C.
The Office of the Brighton Railway-Company, 43, Rejent-
circus, Piccadilly.
The Railway Station, Crystal Palace. Mitchell's Library, 33, Old Bond-street.
Sams's Library, 1, St. James's-street.
• Messrs. Keith, Prowse, and Co., 48, Cheapside.
Mr. Hammud, 27, Lombard-street.
Messrs. Letts, Son, and Co. 8, Royal Exchange.
Mr. T. Knox Holmes, 441, Strand.
Westerton's Library, St. George's-place, Knightsbridge.
Messrs. Cramer, Beale, and Co., 199, Regent-street.
Calder's Library, 1, Bathurst-street, Hyde Park Gardens.
Messrs. Mead and Powell, Arcade, Loudou-bridge Station.
Mr. J. H. Smith, 22, Gresham-street, and
Mr. Brill, Royal Baths, Brighton.

Remittances from the country by Post-office order or other-
wise must be made payable to Geor2l,b Fasson. All ap t lica-
tions must state whether the tickets are for Ladies or Gen-
tlemen, and none can be attended to unless accompanied by a
remittance.

The rates of admission to the Palace remain as before viz.:
On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fri-
days —One Shilling. (Excepting on the Fridays on which the
Concerts take place.)
On Saturdays—Five Shillings.
Children under 12 years of ago Half-price. (Excepting on
the Fridays on which the Concerts take place).
The Palace will be opened on Mondays at Nine a.m. ; on
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, at Ten ; ex-
cepting on the days of the Concerts by the Opera Company,
on which days, and on Saturdays, it will be opened at Twelve,
closing daily about sunset.
By order.

G. GROVE, Secretary.

THE SEARCH FOR SIR J. FRANKLIN.

ADMIRALTY, APRIL 25.
Tier Majesty's Government having considered it expe-
dient that their acknowledgment and approval of the
services rendered by Mr. Grinnell, of New York, in
fitting out at his own expense an expedition in search of
the late Sir J. Franklin, and by Dr. Kane, who con-
ducted, and by the officers and men who were engaged
in the expeditior, should be accompanied by a hand-
some present, a silver vase was forwarded for presenta-
tion to gr. Grinnell, a silver tea service and salver for
Dr. Kane, gold medals for Dr. Kane and the other offi-
cers, and silver medals for the crew ; the whole of the
articles bearing suitable inscriptions.
The following letter from Mr. Grinnell, in acknow-
ledgment of the present, has been forwarded by her Ma-
jesty's Minister at Washington to her Majesty's Secre-
tary of State for Foreign Affairs.
"New York, March 18.
Sir,--I have already acknowledged the receipt of
you letter of the Bth inst.
" I have now to acknowledge the receipt of a magnifi-
cent silver vase, which her Britannic Majesty's Govern-
ment has seen fit to bestow on me as a memorial of its
estimation of my acts relating to the Arctic search for
Sir John Franklin and his party.
" You will please to communicate to your Govern-
ment my acceptance of the vase, and that I highly appre-
ciate it ; I shall hold it not only for the object intended,
but as a testimonial of the magnanimous spirit of your
great and glorious country.
" With great consideration I am, sir, truly your friend,
"HENRY GRINNELL.
"John F. Crampton, Esq."

•
The Gazette publishes a royal decree, authorising
to
oill paying off the
take place on
the biddiugs for the loan of 200 millions of reals 3
per cents. with the coupon of December, the pro-
duce
floating o f whichdebt.
eo b e dev o t
adjudicationed
the 31st of May, when the minimum price fixed
by the Government will be made known.
A letter from Vienna of the 21st, in the Post
Ampt Gazette, says :—Count Baol, on his arrival
here this morning, was received at the station by a
areat number of functionaries and diplomatists, in-
eluding Baron de Bach, Prince Richard do Metter-
nich, Baron de Koller, &c. The Emperor has ad-
dressed a letter of congratulation to the Duke of
Brunswick on the occasion of the 51st anniversary
of his birth, and the 25th of his accession to the
throne. Field-Marshal Lieut. Count de,.Monten-
novo and Col. Count de Seldom are charged with
the delivery of this letter."

• •
January, -1819, Mr. Bancroft, then representative of the t °yet Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, nor any
United States to the Court of St. James, referring to M.. part of Central America ;" and that neither party will
Castellon's arrival in London, and the'subject of his "make use of auy protection which either affords or may
sion to settle the affairs of San Juan de Nicaragua with the afford, or any alliance which either has or may have with
British Government} seal :---` I- think it-proper to state any State or people for the impose of . . . . occu-
te you my opinion that Lord Palmerston willanot recede. !sting, fortifying, or colonising Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the
I have, of course, taken no part ;' add that again, in March, Mosquito coast, or any part of Central America, or of as-
Bancroft wrote that M. Castellon would be anxious to eumieg, or exercising dominion over the same."
seek advice from the United States, but that he had always I. Mr. Buchanan says, with regard to that portion of the
made answer to him that ho was not authorised to offer foiegoieg sentence which restricts the use which Great
advice. • I Britain or the United States might make of any protection
"It would thus seem, on the authority of the United which either might afford to any Saute or people, it has
States' Government itself, that up to the end of 1849, the been said that this article of the convention acknowledges
United States' Government had made no remark or remon- by implication the protectorate of Great Britain over
stranco to Great Britain on the subject oiler protectorate , Mosquito.
of Mosquito; and that even with respect to the capture of : Now, her Majesty's Government does not pretend that
in this article the United States acknowledged the afore-
San Juan do Nicaragua (now called Greytown), the Milted
States' Minister in London was not authorised to take any said protectorate of Great Britain iu Mosquito ; it was
steps concerning it, nor even to afford to the commissioner never the intention of her Majesty's Government, or that
from Nicaragua the beuefit of his counsels .and good offices of the British negotiator, to obtain indirectly that which
thereupo'n ; -and it is but right 'to observe that the United was not asked for openly • but it is evident that this
States' Government pursued by this course towards her article clearly acknowledges the possibility of Great
Britain oiethe United States affording protection to Mos-
Majesty's Government that friendly end considerate policy
which her Majesty's Government always wishes to pursue, quito or any Central American State, and that the buten-
and has pursued towards the United States' Government tion of the parties was not to prohibit or abolish, but to
when that Government has had dillarences with other limit and restrict, such protectorate. •
Powers. • " But supposing all mention of protection in the treaty
With regard .to the grounds on whirls her Majesty's had been omitted, and that the question. at issue merely
Government made the capture of San Juan de Nicaragua in rested on the words " colonise, fortify, occupy, and as
1818, the desire of-her Majesty's Governmea to avoid all slime or exercise doMinion over," is there any one of these
subjects of coutioversy on which it is not absolutely neces- terms which excludes the right of protection, although
sary to enter, restrains it on"
here adverting to the docu- I
'Manta which stated the reasons on which her Majesty's sp.e.li of them limit* its capability ?. -
Defending or preitecting is a temporary act of friend-
Government came to the resolution it at that time adopted;
and, indeed, as those documents were laid before Portia- ship; occupying, colonising, fortifying, or acquiring sove-
mut, and communicated officially to the United States' reignty, are acts which have a permanent result.
Government, it would be superfluous now to recapitulate It has never been held that neutral territories or king-
their contents. doors over which other kingdom's are prohibited by treaty
"With regard tothe doctrine laid down by Mr. President i from acquiring dominion—which other kingdoms cannot
Monroe in 1823, concerning the future colonisation of the I colonise, occupy, nor fortify—may not be defended by
American continents by Earopean States, as an international I such kingdoms at the desire and request 'of the neutral
axiom which ought to regulate the -conduct of European State; although it would doubtless be necessary foe any
States, it can only be viewed as the dictum of the tlistin- nation undertaking such defence to declare formally and
guished personage who delivered it ; but her Majesty's Go- promise clearly that it would not turn this transitory and
vernment cannot admit that doctrine as an international allowable act into one of a continuous nature, which ee-
axiom which ought to regulate the conduct of European gagements had prohibited.
States. No one will maintain that the bar to colonisation or for-
". The doctrine with regard to the incapacity of the In- tifying is a bar to all protection; no one will assert that
diens to exercise the eights of Sovereign Powers must also to afford protection to a State and establish dominion over
remain a doctrine on which each State which has to deal it are necessarily the earns thing ; no one will contend
- with such Indians must be free to exercise its own policy, that to send a naval or military force far the purpose of
and to follow the dictates of its own conscience. , expelling an enemy from the territory of an ally, or of
"It is certainly true that Great Britain, Spain, and the punishing his antagonist, is to hold or occupy the terri-
United States were all at one time in the habit of treating tory of that ally or of his enemy.
the Indian races in the manner which Mr. Buchanan tie- Were this the sense of the word as inserted in the treaty
scribes ; but this past practice, though general, cannot be of 1850, as that word, is equally applied to all Central
taken as an invariable guide for any future policy. The America as well as to Mosquito, it would have a far wide'
period has not yet passed beyond the memory of man at signification than her Majesty's Government contemplated,
which Great and the United States, now so nobly elistin- or-than that the United States' Government would, in all
guished in suppressing the slave trade, practised arid en'- probability, admit ; for, in such a ease, neither Great Bri-
couraged that trade, and deemed it legitimate. tarn nor the United States could, in any circumstance,
" The project of a free Republic, composed chiefly of employ force, naval or military, against any Central Arne-
negroes from the United States, and originally established ricer' State, however great or just the provocation they
under the enlightened and humane patronage of the United might receive. •
States, would have been deeined, 50 years ago, au absurd Citizens of the United States, for instance, might on
and impossible chimera ; yet Liberia exists, and now flow- their way from California to Washington be arrested and
rishes as an independent State. Already, Great Britain, confined on any suspicion or pretext, and the demands of
in her own dealings with Indians, has recopenisel, their rulers the United States for their release refused. But is it to
as independent chiefs ; while, in her treaties with foreign be argued, that under such circumstances the United
Powers, she has spoken of their tribes as nations, and sti- States could not send an armed forced into Nicaragua to
pulated for the restoration of their possessions. compel the release of the citizens from California, and
ThuZ on all the above-mentioned topics her Majesty's chastise those who had unjustly incarcerated them ? The
Government, without seeking to impose any opinions on United States' Government, however, would be bound to
the UnitedStates' Government, claims a right to hold its state the object it had in view in sending a force into Ni-
own "opinions nor deco it indeed appear necessary, °emus ;it would be bound to declare that it did not
although "doubtless it would be desirable, that her Ma- mean to colonies, fortify, occupy, or establish its sove-
jestyti GOverninent and the. United States' Government' reiguty over Nicaragua, and by adhering to this pledge its
should be perfectly agreed with respect to them, treaty obligations would be fulfilled.
"The one remaining subject to be discussed is, however, But surely this dispute as to the nature and meaning of
of a very different character. It relates to a question in protection is one that should not have arisen with respect
wliich Greatßritain and the United States are bothairootly to the treaty of 18A _
concerned, and in regard to which it is a matter both of The very object and nature of, that treaty ought to ma-
honour and interest that they should avoid all ruisunder- nifest that protection is not equivalent to occupation or
standings or disagreements. sovereignty, and that it +lees -not-of necessity imply the
"This subject is the rightful interpretation of a treaty acquisition of any exclusive advantages to the parties pro-
engaeement to which Great Britain and the United States tecting, or give those parties exclusive control over that
are parties. which isprotected. Great Britain and the United States, by
Buelianan laps it down as a fact that Great Bri- the Raid treaty, bind themselves to prOtect cert .in canals,
tainhald the sovereignty of tho Mosquito coast prior to cr.railways, which may be formed through various inde-
-1850, and he then states that Great Britain still re:retinues pendent Stites ; Great Btitaiu and the United States do
to hold this sovereignty, although the treaty of 1850 pro- not by this protection acquire any right of sovereignty or
hibits her from so iu. occupation over such canals or railways, whilst they
" But Mr. Buchanan confounds the two conditions of carefully exclude themselves from having any exclusive
a sovereignty and of a protectorate, and under this error control over them, and from deriving from them any exclus
treats the agreement ' not to colonise, nor occupy, nor siva privileges.
fortify, nor assume nor exercise dominion over,' as includ- It is surely unnecessary further to discuss the construe-
log an agreement not to protect. . tion of the treaty with reference to the protection of Mos-
" With respect to sovereignty, Great Britain never quito. That her Majesty's Government merely expresses
claimed, and does not now claim, or hold, any sovereignty now that view of the treaty which it entertained, and
in or over Mosquito ; but with respect to the protectorate which it had understood that the Government of the
which Great Britain has long exercised over Mosquito. United States entertained, when the treaty was concluded,
Her. Majesty's Government asserts that the treaty of is evident from the fact that, within little more than a
1850 did not, and was not meant to, annihilate such pro- month after the treaty of 1850 had been ratified, her Ma-
,Petinratoeleut simply to confine its powers and limit its jesty's Minister at Washington entered into further siege-
influence. tiations with the Government of the United States vela-
" Now, the spirit of a treaty must always be inferred Live to the position of Mosquito, interpreting the treaty as
from the circumstances under which it takes place, and her Majesty's Government now interprets it. That there
the true construction of a treaty must be deduced from was-nothing extraordinary, unnatural, or unfair in the in-
' the literal meaning of the words employed in its framing. terpretation thus given to the treaty by her Majesty's Go-
" The circumstances under which the treaty 01'1850 took vernment, is equally evident from the fact that such inter-
place were the following : pretetion was at once accepted by the Secretary of State,
"Up t ) March, 1819, i. e., one whole year after the cap- Mr. Webster, than whom no statesman at that time living
ture of San Juan de Nicaragua by the British forces, the whether in Europe or America, was more fitted to compre-
United States Government made no observation, as it has hand the spirit or analyse the wording of any international
already been stated, to the British Government, having obligation; and that her Majesty's Government was not at
any allusion to this act. But in Nov., ISI9, Mr. Law- that time, and not now, animated by any such object as
mince, then just arrived in England as the representative that of obtaining any peculiar interest or control over the
of the United States Government, toldreased a note to Lord River San Juan, or the canal that may be formed from its
l'alinerston; not <taking any question as to-the British pro- waters, is likewise demonstrated by the circumstance worth
tactorate of Mosquito, but requesting to know whether noting, that the object which Great Britain had in view .
her Majesty's Government would join with the United in pursuing these further negotiations with the United
States in guaranteeing the neutrality of a ship-canal, rail- States was that of withdrawing her protection from the
way, or other communication between the two oceans, to very town called Greytown, or San Juan de Nicaragua,
be opened to the world, and common to all nations, and and the adjoining territory, and of pacing the same in the
whether the British Governsnent intended to occupy or hands of some Central American State, on conditions iu
colonise Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito Coast so nowise beneficial to herself, or only beneficial in so far as
called, or any part of Central America. To this note Lord such conditions tended to maintain a state of peace and
Palmerston replied by stating that her Majesty's Govern- tranquillity in that part of the world to which they re-
meta had no intention to occupy or colonise Nicaragua, lated, and to preserve the Mosquitos in a territory border-
Costa Rica, the Mosquito Coast, nor any part of Central ing that which was to be ceded, in an inoffensive state of
America, and that her Majesty's Government would feel neutrality and security.
great pleasure in combining and co-operating with the Go- Indeed, when her Majesty's Minister, in a conversation
vernment of the United States for the purpose of assisting which took place about the end of July, 1851, on this sub-
the operations of a company which might be formed with ject, agreed, on the part of the British Government, to
a view to establish a general communication by canal or assigu Grey town to Nicaragua, upon her coming to a fair
railroad across the Isthmus, separating the northern and settlement with Costa Rica as to some of the points of con-
southern portions of the American continent, both by tention between thorn, and upon her agreeing to leave the
offering security for the works while in progress, and when Mosquito people unmolested within certain portions of the
completed and in use, and by placing such communication, territory which they now occupy, and over which the
through the means of political arrangements, beyond the Spanish dominion never, otherwise than nominally, ex-
reach of molestation, disturbance, or obstacle, by rea- tended, Mr. Webster, whilst observing that the United
son of international disputes which may at any time States had no direct interest in any question concerning
unfortunately arise ; upon the conditions, moreover, that Nicaragua and Mosquito, except as respected the construe-
such tommunication should at all times be open and aeces- tion of a canal, and its free navigation, and that, conse-
sible for the commerce of all nations, and on equal terms quently, he diet not wish to take an active part in any ne-
for all, gotiation extending beyond these limits, added, addressing
" These notes, copies of which are hereunto annexed, are himself to the Nicaraguan Minister, who was present, that
of great importance, inasmuch as they laid the foundation he considered the offer made by the British Minister was
for the subsequent Convention of Washington, while they one which the Nicaraguan Government might consider as
explain the nature of the feelings entertained at that time a fair basis for an arrangement ; and her Majesty's Govern-
by the United StatestGoverninentt and by the Government meat then entertained the hope and belief that, by the
of her Majesty. friendly understanding subsisting between Great Britain
"It was clear that the United States' Government, and the United States, and the joint efforts of both, such a
which had regarded the affairs of Central America not long settlement would be speedily concluded between all the
before with comparative indiffirenee, had had its attention parties interested as would enable her Majesty's Govern-
lately called to this part of the world by its acquisition of ment to release itself from the duty of protecting or defend-
California and the discovery of the ore which that region ing Greytown, in which, for the time being, a self-elected
was found to contain—circumstances which rendered of body, in a great measure composed of United States citi-
vast importance some safe and rapid meaner of communiea. zees, was carrying on the Government in the name of the
tion between the possessions of the United States on the King of Mosquito.
Pacific and the possessions of the United States on the At- The preceding observations comprise all that her Ma-
lantic. jesty's Government has now to say with regard to that per-
" A project of a canal communication, moreover, through tion of Mr. Buchanan's statement to which they have been
the State and Lake of Nicaragua, and the River San Juan intended to reply.
was then in contemplation, and Nicaragua had granted to But although the connection of Great Britain with Mes-
a company of American citizens whatever rights it possessed quito forms one of the subjects of Mr. Buchanan's commu-
over this proposed line of traffic. nication, another subject, not less important, is the actual
" Great Britain, however, by having placed a people un- condition of British Honduras, Ruatan, and the Bay
der her protection in possession of the port and town of San Islands. •
Juan de Nicaragua, might exert her influence either to pre- It was never in the contemplation of her Majesty's Go-
vent this canal being formed, or, if she allowed it to be vernment, nor in that of the Government of the United
formed, might aim, through her protectorate, at acquiring States, that the treaty of 100 should interfere in any way
over such canal peculiar rights or absolute control. with her Majesty's settlement at Belize or its dependencies.
"The Government of the United States was therefore It was not necessary that this should have been particn-
justly anxious to know whether the British Government larly stated, inasmuch as it is generally considered that the
would favour or impede the construction of a canal by the term " Central America"—a term of modern invention—
river San Juan, and whether it would attempt to establish could only appropriately apply to those States at one time
a predominant and permanent power over this canal, by united under the name of the " Central American Repub-
colonising, fortifying, occupying, or taking absolute pos- lice," and now existing as five separate republics ; but in
session of the country through which it passed. order that there should be no possible misconception at any
" The mere protectorate of Great Britain, stripped of future period relative to this point, the two negotiators, at
those attributes which affected the construction and the the time of ratifying the treaty, exchanged declarations to
freedom of the proposed canal, was of small consequence the effect that neither of the Governments they represented
to the United States ; but, connected with those attributes, had meant in such treaty to comprehend the settlement
it was a matter. great importance. and dependencies in question.
"On the other hand, her Majesty's Government, which Mr. 'Clayton's declaration to her Majesty's Government
had just expelled the Nicaraguans from Greytown or San ou this subject was ample and satisfactory, as the follow-
Juan de Nicaragua, and the country adjacent, and had for- ing extract from this note of July 4, 1850. will show:
mally discussed and finally rejected the claims of the Nica- "The language of the
.first article of the convention .
raguan Government to these contested posessions, could concluded on the 19th day of April last, between the
01,
not with honour or credit retire, at the mere interposition ted States and- Great Britain, describing the countar:ynout
of the United states, from the position it had assumed, to he occupied, &c., by either of the parties, %as: „ was
or abandon the. ong established British protectorate over know, twice approved by the Government,
the ausa tt
(the se-
re-occupy Mosquitos, and allow the authorities of Nicaragua to neither understood by them, nor by
the ground from which they had so recently been gotiators), to include the British settlement
distinctn from the
in
nntohWe neigh-
the giht
driven. But Great Britain coat clearly engage herself to (commonly called British Honduras, as tin Honduras
the United States to do all that was reuired respecting State of Honduras), nor the small imslaandy bse
the construction and protection of any canal communica- bourhood of that settlement which
tion, to be enjoyed on equal terms by all n diens, and she dependencies.
could also limit the powers of her protectorate over Mos- "To this settlement and these Islands the treaty we ne-
quito so as to remove all suspicion, •or possibility of her gotiated was not intendaenddbhyaseibetheenr ot usto
intention
The
using it in any manner that would place such canal cone- title to them it is now, _my through-
munication under her exclusive authority and dominion. out the whole nego:tritahtaeiffioncr,noltmionmgle,iatvnteereaiosnathe
0 trreeiagtny
Relations
e leavesddl
meddling
denying
iflSot as it stood previously.ny way
Thus, when the drawing up of a treat afterwards took without deny
place, the object of the British negotiator, and, it must be with the srmiea,nt
presumed, that•of both negotiators, necessarily was, to
senate perfectly understood that the treaty did. not include
Britishsreoea:
.tshi
olhniatotovnlfiednmtughreeanb
draw up such a convention as, without conceding any ape- of Thethe Senate,nhalr the Hon. W. A. King, informs me that the
cific point on which one party could not in honour yield, 11
."the ratettial understanding as to the
would make such concessions on all other points as the
other party desired ; and if the convention in question be
settlement of Belize and its dependencies
the operation of the treaty,-the only question relative
feecmp
referred to, it, will be seen that it is drawn up carefully steeannd its dependencies, in reference to the
such a manner as to make it a matter of indifference, so
far as the canal is concerned, as to whether the port and to se
town of Sul Juan are under the modified protectorate of treaty,e that can now arise, is as to what is the Settlement
Great Britain, or under the Government of Nicaragua. of
Belize and its dependencies, or, in other words, as to
Moreover, in drawing up this treaty, both Mr. Clayton what is British Honduras and its dependencies.
and Sir H. L. Bitterer referred to the notes which had Her Majesty's Government certainly understood that
passed between Lord Palmerston and Mr. Lawrence, and the settlement of Belize, as here alluded to, is the settle-
even made use of the precise terms which had been there ment of Belize as established in 1850 ; and it is more wars
employed, from which it must of necessity be inferred that ranted in this conclusion from the fact that the United
they meant to transfer to their convention, with the words States had, in 1816, sent a consul to this settlement, which
which they borrowed, the meaning which they had previ- consul had received his exequatur from the British Go-
ously attached to those words in the documents from vernment —a circumstance which constitutes a recognition
which they extracted them ; and a reference to such do- by the United States' Government of the settlement of
cuments will at once show that Mr. Lawrence, while he British Honduras under her Majesty as it then existed.
asked her Majesty's Government whether it meant to oc- Her Majesty's Government at once states this, because it
cupy, fortify, colonise, or sesame or exercise dominion perceives that Mr. Buchanan restricts the said settlement
over Mosquito, did not allude to the protectorate of Great within the boundaries to which it was confined by the treaty
Britain over that country ; and that Lord Palmerston, in of 1786; whilst her Majesty's Government not only has to
declaring that her Majesty's `Jovernment did not intend repeat that the treaties with Old Spain cannot be held, as
to do any of these things, expressly left the question con- a matter of course, to be binding with respect to all the
cerning the political relations between Great Britain and various detached_portions of the old Spanish-American. mo-
the Mosquitos untouched. • narchy, but it has also to observe' that the treaty of 1735
So much for the spirit which presided over the Conven- was put an end to by a subsequent state of war between
lion of 1850. Great Britain and Spain ; that during that war the boun-
With regard to the literal meaning, this treaty declares denies of the British settlement in question were enlarged;
in words that the two parties " will not occupy, nor for- and that when peace was re-established between Great Bri
tify, nor colonise, nor assume, nor exercise any dominion 1 tarn and Spain no treaty of a political nature, or relating to