The New York herald., 1851-10-18
provided that "his Britannia ajesy shall cause to

a1eety
be demolished all the fortifcations which his sab
Jects have erected in the Bay of Honduras, and
other places of the territory Of Spain in that part Of
the world, within four months" &c., SC. The
Forts q. Black river, and At other places,
cordingy evacuated early in 1864 But, in violation
Of the treaty, the English seem to have continued
their occupation Of Ruatan. They also kept up rela
ions of an improper nature with the Indians on the
coast, and engaged largely in smuggling, and in
other employments closely allied to piracy, which
80 ezasperated Spain that in 1850 she once more
declared war In this year, the authorities of Qua
temala again expelled the English from Ruatan. The
treaty ofpeace ofI7SS with, it would seem special
reference to these islands, provided not only that
the English should abandon the continent, Except
certain, well defined territory, in which they
might cut logwood, and nothing more,) but call
islands whatever dependen. upon it," The English
evadrg the stipulations of the treaty, Spain insist
ed on more stringent terms, which were incorpo.
rated in 1856, by which it was provided tina. the
English should "evacuate the country of the Mos
quitos, as well the continent in general, and the
islands adjacent, without exception Nothing
could be clearer explicit than this; and it
that, failing to fud any Of evading the
provision, England did really abandon, not only
these islands, but the whole coast.
The provisions of this treaty were suspended by
the war of 1896, when England, still hankering
after these valuable islands, again occupied them,
and constituted them the penal settlements of the
much injured natives whom their cruel rapacty had
spared in ST. Vincent and the other Leeward Islands
Two thousand of these, it seems were located upon
Rua.an; but as soon as the invasion became kno wn
in the capital Of Guatemala, the Captain General
directed tie ntendant of H Snduras to effect its re-
subjugation. Accordingly Don Jose Rossi y Rubia,
well supported by officers and men, was sent to the
island, which, on the l7th Of May, 1897, quietly
surrendered This seems to have been the final
attempt Of the English, during this century, for,i
bly, to Sc ize upon these islands, which thencefor-
ward remained in undisputed possession of the
Spanish crown.
The stringent provisions Of the treaty of l7S6
were revived and incorporated in a new treaty be-
tween England and Spain, which was concluded
Aug. 2s 1874. This treaty, in its terms, was word
for word the same with that which we have quoted,
and excluded England ''from the country of the
Mosquitoes, the continent in general and the islands
adjacent rithOui ercsption.' This treaty there
fore in full force and effect, and the Spaniards in
undisputed possession of the island, when, in 1921,
the Central American provinces threw of their
allegiance to the Spanish crown. Up to tina. time,
England had acquired no shadow of title, by con-
quest or otherwise, to the island Four times she
had attempted to seize it by force and had been as
of en- expelled She had finally, and as late as
1sl4, by solemn treaty, bound herself utterly to alb
stain from any further attempts at occupation. AT
this time have the testimony of British officer
that Spain had establishments, and kept up a mill
tary force the island.
At the time Of Central American independence,
Ruatan and the neighboring Islands were dependent
upon, and under the jurisdiction Of, the province
of Honduras. When that province assumed the
rank ola state, the republican au. u.horties, as
matter Of course, took possession OF these islands.
They passed within her jurisdiction, and were oc-
cupied by her without dispute or hindrance from
any quarter. Her title TO them was clear and un-
questioned and she exercised over them freely all
the rights Of sovereignty.
This state Of things continued after Honduras
entered the federal republi: Of Central America,
until May, 1880, at which time the British Super
intendent Of Belize, who had become embittered
against the republic, in consequence OF its refusal to
surrender certain runaway slaves, in a fit Of anger
aud revenge made a descent upon Ruataa, and
seized il in behalf Of the British crown. A. this
time the States of Central America were united,
and not to be outraged, as nov, with entire i'm
putty The federal government made an i'm
mediate and energetic re mons rance 70 the British
government by whom the act was formally dis
avowed and the islands abandoned by the invaders.
We refer the reader on this point to Crows Central
America, p. 1873; and Dunlap's Travels in Central
America, p. 1s0)
From this time unit: ISL, the island appears to
have remained in the peaceful occupation of the
people and government Of Honduras, although it is
not to be doubted that the Superintendents of Be-
lie, who generally to have had proclivityto to
piracy, in virtue Of their office, were constantly
the watch for preexts to add Ruatan to their ssur
pations on the coast; but the rights of Honduras
had been too distinctly and too often recognized to
admit Of being set aside upon any pretext which
their fertile brains were capable Of devsing. Yet,
in ls4l, Col Macdonald, Superintendent Of Belize,
whose deeds in Central America enti,le him to
place beside Morgan, Scott, Mansfield, and the
other piraiical chiefs who won an infamous noto-
riety in the same Geld Of a,tion, aisregarding the
fact that the previous seizure Of 1880 had been dis
avowed by his government, proceeded in the BIZ
tsh sloop Of war Rover to Rustan What followed
is thus nara, ,ed by British author -" As he ex.
pected, Col. Mac ionald found only few inhabi-
tants, under care of a sergeant. and a small detach
ment Of soldiers belonging to the state Of Hondu-
ras. These being incapable Of resistance, he pro-
ceeded to haul down the Gag of the republic, and
to hoist that Of Great Britain In lis stead. No
sooner, however, had he re- barked, than he had
the mort fcation Of seeing The union jack replaced
BY the blue and white stripes Of Honduras lie
subsequently returned, and completed the nglOri-
Gus revolution, By taking such precautions and
making such tuois as be thought Necessary
Thus in time Of peace with Honduras, whose
authority over Rustan the British government had
distinctly recognized, that island was again forcby
seized by the officers Of Grea: Britain. The re-
public Of Central America had been dissolved since
1850, ard the state Of Honduras was too feeble,
ard TOO much dstractod by internal factions. 70