The republic., 1852-01-05
From the London Daily Ne,cs Of December ~.
THE A fair ut GrcytOwn.

rb-o l. we helieyc no rational Englishman
who has paid attention to the proceedings OF ou,
dinlomatic apents and naval officers In Centrai
America-w6ethcr on the Pacific or Atlantic side
but feels disposed to blush and change me supJcct
whenever that country is named. sun deeper
eense of regret will be awakened should any thins
occnrr,np IN that scene of our focs bo allowed to
interrupt the feelings of nmity which preVali, ana
ought to prevail, between Great Britain and the
United States. We wait, therefore, with consider
able anxiety for moreiull ana aulneh.o lliiHa ma
ton respecting the apparently unwarrantap,e ~ ana
inexplicable conduct OF the cornmahde! oi nriish
man of war in firing upon an American steamer
off the harbor OF Greytown
1t would be wearying the patience Oh our readers
TO no purpose to recapitulate all the costly iolhes
and degrading negotiations into whlch our rulers
have been led in the attempt to make .he 90
kingdom of Mosquitia an Engiisn eoony ia ds
mise Mr. Chatteld's war with the nttle repnplic
9f San Salvador; the occupation OF Tiger Island ;
the expedition up the San Juan river' tih which
Mr. Walker the prime mover OF uhese aoSuruilce
accidentally drowned,) he oiiIe IN ~ Nndaa ~
on the occasion being rewarded with the order Oh
the Bath ; the compensation OF ministerial sup
porter in Parliament, Qor his losses in puyins
borough which a committee TOOK OUT VI "S n"no',,
bv the annontmeut of President at the court OF
Nossutia all these may not yet be forgotten: Inc
crop of obs which has sprung up IN me iert,e SOIL
of this dsreputable connexion mas COST JOHN DUH
pretty penny. A.. Moth An.
rican is that he cannot by any means be brought
20 submit to- or affect respect Tor shaHis. Inc
pinchbecs majesty of Mosquito mas IN cohSe
quence, been object OF unnga.eu o " had a.
Americans frequenting the ceast; ana hence pao
blood has arisen between most OF thcm on the one
side and such British authorizes as nave oeeh pay
ing a part in the farce, and the "squaNtrs' ioi
whose benefit it is played, on the otue!' Ahe uis
nitv of thesc "yiccroys over" the king OF Mos
uuitia has been so offended In tho course oi such
broils that a detachment oil Jamaica ponce mas
been placed in garrison at GreytoWn, anu Lngnsn
men OF war have been stationed OIL the harbor' to
rnnncl sauov Yankees to perform the Kotoo be-
fore these magnates, and to make thein pay 'hei
harbor dues This a movement pretty certain
at no distant date to lead to collisions M
rcans and the English policemen or the Enghsh
naval officers. But the mischief mas been acoeier
ated by new element OF dlscord
Greytown (San Juan de Nicaragua is 'ne ler-
minus on the Caribbean OF one oil the most pro-
missing lines for a railway or ship canal across the
Isthmus Ii 10 situated where the territories OF
Costa Rica border those claimed by me state oil
Nicaragua, and also by the government Q, ms MOS
auitian majesty. The canal or rallroao, II IL ID
ever formed must run through the Costa Rica ter
ritcry, or that claimed by the other TWO powers.
English and Ansssicao spectators nave IN All tnese
States been trying to obtain the ehciusNe prViege
of making the canal or railway.
I'm Nicaragua the Americans have obtained the
CONCESSION in Costa Rica the Englishmen and in
the country claimed and occupied IN .ne name .,
the king Of the Mosquitoes, EnglsbIAen are, oi
course In the ascendant. While the English spec
ulaiors have been talking, the American specuia
tore have been doing They have actually organ
across the isthmus on that route, and have placed
steamers on the San Juan and the Lake oil Mica.
ragua.
Since this has been done, the English council
lors, who oct as dry.nurs to the King Of Mos.
ouitia have been sulky and savage, and doing all
IN their power TO thwart the American company
The English government has wisely hsicned 10 lho
representations Of the Cabinet nj Nnsningp9n hnu
agreed TO make Grcytown a Tree Poft. but Toe
f.rrniers gfnsrour of Mosquitia have pleaded Tor a
postponeinont Of the carrying OF this arrangement
into effect until their lease of the customs duties
shall expire; and in the meantime they have been
lovyng their tolls with high hand.
The exact merits OF the case, in which they have
been 30 vigorously backed by the tTPrs"' arc yet
unknown; but it is unfortunately but TOO certain
that spiri Of nationality has rendered the Briush
officers on the station too ready 10 lend an car TO
the interested misrepresentation OF the Mosquiiian
custom house officers.
Now, without any apecinl reference 10 the case OF
the Pronetheus, VIC put II to the common aense oi
our readers is IL crcdtnble for great empire Ike
ours to allow itself TO be mixed up in such miser.
able fdrasssis1 Ia IL Consistent with the honor OF
Great Britain its reputation for sanity, TO place
its ships and soders at tho disposal of some dozen
of"squatters," whoikeepa savage CHIEF In leading
stringsy Are we 70 GO TO loggerheads with our
blood lions with the only State TO which VIC can
look for sympathy or succOr In the event OF quar-
rel with European despotism, in such disrcPutn-
bic quarrel?
Were the Mos1uito coast our own, IL would not
be worth the powder and shot IL would cost 10 main
Did the duties cxscted at Grcytown How into our
national Golfers, il would be bad policy to levy
them but they are pocketed by private adventu.
rcrs whoec title 10 them is in the eye OF the law oi
nations, worse than doubtful. The sooner this
country shakes of the Mosqutian connexion the
better Il will be for its reputation.
As to the firing upon tho American steamer, Tor
which MIR. Webster has instructed the American
ambassador in this country TO demand explanation
or redress il would be unfair TO an English officer
10 condemn him before be has had an opportunity
t. tell his oEn story in his own way. Bot the
transaction, as far as at present known, has, il
inust be confessed, an ugly look.
We will not believe that he really intended
10 hit the steamer; but even the show Of VIC
lcnce was 40 insult 20 the American flag. We have
no o,lh, The story may be found susceptible OF sat
iiactory explanation. At all events, We hope that
the communications between our government and
t'at Of Washington tts subject will bc conduct
cd i'm such manner az TO prevent even any cool
nrss between England and its fnost natural and
desirable ally.