The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-06

would II persisted IN. lead 10 consequences of most
As the committee thus avow themselves doubtful OF
lhe decided opinion" they expressed will proceed to
strengthen Their doubts and TO efute their opinion BY
giving Them The Information which before them
Ihsu report says that ''by of the European geoe
raphers lno SPANISH these British settlements are
refer then as they have denied that Spanish geographes
have SO spoken the Dietio~srio Gsog,sphico OF Don
Antonio de Alcedo; published al Madrid in l7so quote
from the English edition. translated by Thompson in fl We
volumes quarto London, 1919:
'BALIS. RIO river tn The prop"es and government
Yaeaa" which ,uns into the sea upon the same coast
near The strand OF Bacaar, and into the bay which
formed by that strand and Long Laad"-Vol l. page l29
After mentioning the thirteen provinces of Guatemala
Acedo expressly mentions Yucaian among the provinces
OF Nueva Espana," Mexico Vol. ., p. 81. and vol
3, p lOo The authority is the conclusive the
wrier, who was Spaniad, published his work at Ma
drd IN 1885, the date OF the convention which fixed The
Alcedo says, ",he kingdom of Guatemala is bounded
| on The northeast by the provinee Of Yueatan"
Inc next authority 10 which refer 10 Humboldrs
Political Essay on the Kingdom of New Spain, con
tanning researches relative to the geography OF Mex
ico translated from the original French by John Black
published in New York in 1871 This work Of Humboldt
underwent the examination of the Spanish government
before II was published in Paris in 1870" In vol l.
2oa the ntendency OF Merida Yucatan. is included
2,p l59 the author says, 1.-the intendency of Merida
comprehends the great peninsula OF Yucatan situated
between the bays OF Campeachy and Honduras" OBJ
serve. it comprehends the whole of the peninsula"
not mereya part OF il. Again, Humboldt says, on the
same page:
"TLe province Merida is bounded on the south by
Vera Cruz, on the west by rbe English establishments
which extend from the mouth of the Rio Hondo the
Ubero [Ambsgrls Key.I In Ibis quarter, Salamanca or
he small fort Of San Felipe de Bacaiar south
ern point Inhabited by the Spanards."
Again. the author says. on page 1907
.Since the settlement of the English between Ono
Onoa] and the Rio Hondo, the government diminish
the contraband trade Spanish Indian
non ulayO in fha nf ha from, a
mountains of Yucaan Coonsts not permitted
s s on on Rs M s9 TOR td" as cor; t on the
remains unnhabited, with the exception of the military
post lpresdiol OF Salamanca"
And on the map OF Humboldt the British settlements
are included in the peninsula of YUcatan.
The next work to which refer is that of the cele
braed French geographer, Qke greatest Of the age
Malte Brun, printed at Paris in s47 p 1875, from which
make the following extract:
CoLoSIE ASaLAIsK.-Sur lie erritore de 'ancien etat
Mexicain dYucaan, les Anglas pos edent rembouchure
ras une oooniv po.ss de 1000 habsns Ellie porte s
nom de colone de Honduras Son chef lieu est Belize,
petite vile siue lendoit ou la rivere de &C
nom Sc jette dams lie mer'
Having thus described the British settlement Brit.
sh colony in the ancient State of Yucatan in Mexico al
the Belize river which empiies into the bay OF Hondu.
as, which British colony is called the colony of Hondu
ras, M Mate Brun says, p TO, that the ancient cap
taincy general OF Guatemala or confederation OF Central
of Mosquitoes. In the Sd volume OF the American ed.
ton Of 1927, p 3ol, Malte- Brun speaks of ihe pe
ninsula OF Yucatan, or the ntendency OF Merida and
says:
ave have distins sushed on our maps under the name
% s Eeh o II. a Of HE Ud wss e
ish military post OF Safamanca !"
Domingo Juanos a Spaniard, in his History OF Qua
temaa, says that the jurisdiction OF the Royal Auden
cia and Chancery of Guatemala extended along the At
anc from The coast of Belize IN the bay Of Honduras 10
the Escudo de Veraguay."
In the third volume Of the London Encyclopedia page
4l9, we find that
Belize is a river in the peninsula OF Yucatap, South
America which falls the bay Of Honduras latitude
Ia deg 90 min north On its banks, and TO the extent OF
any. BY the treaty 1888 a right guaranteed to
British subjects of cutting and carrying away ogood in
the district between this river and the Rio Hondo Beyond
the of their operation the Belize is mPerecty
known"
Again:
"Belze, seaport town of Yreata~, South America, is
chiefly composed OF English settlers at the
mouth OF the above yer"-Ibid
could fill volume with British authorities describ
ing at various periods during the last hundred years.
their settlements in Honduras being in Mexico or Yu
catan. The committee avoided all these and their re-
port declares that respect for the State OF Guatemala
qures OF This government 10 recognise the boundaries
she has prescribed for herself at least until they
cessfuy controver,ed by those errtorslly interested
Why did not respect for Great Britain equally require OF
this government TO recognise the boundaries she has pre-
scibed for herself or at least, equally refer to her
cIamsi With her have existing treaty OF peace.
amy, and commerce. and yet no British authorities are
referred TO Tor the purpose OF showing her petensons
although much easy OF access shall not dwell
upon Them but having cited The French and Spanish
horities, shall conclude my OF the report by
feuing to OF the leading American authorities on
the subject
Darby informs that Belize is river OF North
America, in Yucatan, and on its banks the English
have their principal settlements for cutting mahogany
&c
The " Encyclopedia Americans" defines Belize
seaport of MeXco in Ynoaian, at the mouth OF the river
Belize and says 81, is the only settlement belonging to
the British the coast" The character OF Francis Lie
ber III editor q of science be stated by the
SC majors from South Carolina.
In the " Encyclopedia of Geography" by Hugh Muir
ray revised by Bradford published in 1897 page 32S
the author after speaking OF Merida and Campeachy, on
the side OF the peninsula OF fucatan, says "On
the other side Of the peninsula OF Yucaan the British pos
The settlement OF Honduras extending along the shore
from the Rio Hondo TO the Lburn"
have no time 10 cite other geographical works TO
which could readily refer, but may be permitted to
quote the instructions given by my immediate predeces
sor, Mr.. Buchanan, who, as think, was qualified TO
Judge OF this question, and who, in his letter TO Mr.
Hse of the Sd of june Is4s describes the country ceded
by the treaties OF 1883 and 1856. when referring 10 the
of the Belize" and the established British colony Of
The Belize which he, under the direction of Mr. Polk,
appointed consul thus directly recognising the colony
British colony long before the treaty OF the Ah oil
July. 1850, and still longer before tn. nth OF February
1889 when this committee declared that the whole terri
tory in Central America. II It were why did Mr.
Polk and Mr.. Buchanan seek and obtain the sIsqusiur
for Mr. Hampstead, consul at the Belize, from the
British government, and not from Guatemala IL there
had been any foundation for the decided opinion OF
this committee NOT the course adopted by Mr. Folk
and Mr. Buchanan a direct insult to Guatemala And
WHY did the members of this committee, who now show
respect for the rights OF Great Britain and refuse even