The New York herald., 1850-01-17
The nicar.saa aasssion In nngiand.

OIL
We have already expressed, on more than one
occasion, strong dislucuation to treat the ques-
tlons connected with the Nicaraguan canal and the
rights OF the Mosquito King as cause OF dispute
with other nations and to allow enterprise of
strictly pacific and commercial character to be
turned TO the bad purpos~s of irritation and hOst
hty. The interests concerned In the construction
OF line OF water communication across the 18TH
mus of Panama are essentially of general and
public character. We have no other desire in the
matter than that such line of passage should be
opened as effectually, as speedily, and as cheapy
as possible; The opening of highway for CON.
merce is always consistent with the progress ot
civilization and the convenience of mankind and
we do not pretend TO have calculated or foreseen
to nlcety what effect such On Improvement may
hereafter produce the relative fsrces OF
competing traders aud navigators. Like every in
vention or discovery Ia science orgeography these
changes must be viewed in a large aud liberal
spirit, not with reference to their immediate or
partial effects. They a part of the economy
of the world, and rightly considered, they have
in our days far stronger tendency to unite
States and communities than to sever and ex-
(, don spoke the other day like man of sense and
the representative OF sensible government,
when he SAID that no exclusive advantages
were sought IN this mauer by the Cabinet of
Washington and, although there may be in this
country, as there is in the United States, set of
men who are always re ady To take the jealous and
dlsputatious view of such subjects, the grand inter-
ests of England and America are in truth perfectly
at union With regard 10 the plea of territorial
right which has been set mp by Lord Palmerston on
behalf of the Mosquito King, that is pure ques-
tion Of law. The determination of such a point
rests not so much with the Foreign Secretary as
with the Queens Advocate. IT We are legally
warranted and bound to maintain the protectorate
of the Mosquito coast, it would be contemplate to
abandon weak ally because he is menaced by
more formidable power; but if the legal point be
ruled against the existence OF this protectorate we
have certainly no motive IN policy or in honor to
waste our efforts In defence of the independence
Of Mosquito.
pamphlet has Just been published, or rather re-
printed from the Colonial Magacine OF the two
last months, which endeavors take a tar more de-
. cided and vehement view of thus case. But the
reasoning and the assertions OF this writer have
not modified our view of the question, though he
has added some additional facts to what had al.
ready appeared IN the papers presented to Parlia-
ment Of these facts the most startling is the
letter, which appears have been addressed by the
British Consul at New York to the director Of the
American Canal Company.
I'VE give the whole Of the pamphlet, including the
letter referred in another part Of this days NeW
York Herald
1t might be supposed that the |" boundary of the
Mosquito kingdom, which touches the st. Johns
River at the Machuca Rapid, about 30 miles below
the Lake of Nicaragua" had been defined with
all the precision of legal conveyance or diploma
tic survey. But il is notorious that the boundaries
Of this State are purely arbitrary; they were laid
down two or three years ago IN despatch written
by British agent who was bold to describe what
he thought should be the boundary of Mosquito,
and they have never bean acknowledged by any
human being but Lord Pamerston and their own
author.
AS the case originally stood, the British pro-
tectorate was placed on the ground of long and
intimate connexion and alliance between the go
vernment at Jamaica and the English buccaneers on
the Spanish Main and the Mosquito Indians. But
we produced the article Of the treaty of 1886
which put an end to that protectorate, the whole
argument derived from pre- escnption is extIngushed.
The writer OF this pamphlet says, +" In 1885, to the
eternal disgrace OF our then government, England
was led to withdraw her support from the King
of Mosquito and his dependent tribes, and to leave
the field open to Spain;" and II Is fully admitted
not resumed until the revolt Of the Spanish colonies
had destroyed the interest OF the mother country In
maintaining that stipulation. But in the mean
time il 10 further stated by this writer that Spain
had erected fort, called ST. Carlos, on the northern
bank Of the river ST. John, at lis junction with
the lake; another lower down, at Castillo Viejo /;
and, lastly, that small Spanish military post was
established atthe Port OF st. Johns itself, which is
the point now in dispute. Ii Is true that the
Spanish government consented to pay an annual
sum to the Mosquito Indians, but II is not
sonable TO call that sum tribute than 1t would be
to give that name to the distribution OF presents
ments TO the Indian Tribes in their territories.
Those tribes, as the aboriginal possessors Of the soil
have an undoubted claim to the protection and
hberality OF the civilized governments with which
they have come in contact; but we have never
heard that the presence of such tribes In Florida or
other parts Of tre territory OF Great Britain, Spain,
or the United States constituted bar 10 the sove-
reignty of any regular government. II such a bar
exists the Mosquito coast, il resides not in the
independent rights ot the Mosquito Indians, but in
the lawful claims which England may have had to
exercise her own protectorate over them and their
territory. II does appear, however, from the text
OF the treaty OF 1855, that these rights on the Mos
quito coast were expressly abandoned TO Spain !;
Spain acted upon that cesslon and they have been
renewed, if renewed at all, without the assent
Of her representatives. A question may indeed be
raised whether IL is TO the State of Nicaragua or
10 that of Costa Rica-both being fragments Of the
Spanish viceroyalties Of Guatemala and Of Santa
Fe-that the coast Of Mosquito and the mouth of
the San Juan most ughtfully belong. But that is
matter of perfect indifference TO the rest of the
world. II would be deplorable if the public inter.
ests OF the passage OF the isthmus the peace Of
nations could be seriously troubled by the ques-
ton by whom is II to be made, or through whose
territories ls the line TO pass, or by squabble be-
tween rival States in Central America. At pre-
seRt those regions consist Of dense forests, pest-
lent tswamps, and barely yigsbe rivers; the wand
OF commerce may awaken them 10 Improvement,
civilization, and lfe-the contests OF the sword or
even OF the pen, can only consign them to prolong-
ed gpihcance and desoation. IL Lord Pal
merston IL still resolved to regard the Mosquito
coast as British territory, let be told so, and let
US know the grounds on which he rests his claim;
but n those grounds are wanting, we decline to
attach an importance to the Mosquito coast which
even the settlement OF Honduras would hardly de-
serve.
The Russian Empire
IMPORTANT POLITICAL MovExgNrs-THE cArcAs-
SIAN wAR-1HE CONSPIRACY IN MOSCOW.
The Oa Depfsche Posi "a Vienna paper) has let
ters from Odessa, OF the 5th instant stating that
Russian fotilla OF five ships OF the line Of loo guns
has arrived in the port Of that city. This squadron
mt sAsA IN f.L. IL G.l