New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-02-01
NICARAGUA AND THE MOSQUITO COAST
LETTER FROM MR.. MARCOLETA TO MIR.
MARCY.
LEGATION OF NICARAGUA,

NEWBORN, Jdu. 10, 1000
On the 27th October, lsi7 the ship-ofwsr Alarm
of her Britannia Majestys navy arrived in the port Of
San Juan de Nicaragua audit commander proceeded
to inform the local authorities that the first Of the
ensuing January said port should be surrendered TO
the authority of Great Britain, which claimed its pos
setsion on behalf Of the Chief Of the Mosquito Indians,
On the first of January, lsis, after ne ntmation
to the same effect, made by the commanders OF the
Vixen and the Alarm, and against solemn protest on
the part of the national authorities OF the port the
colors Of Great Britain hoisted side by side with
those previously designated by the name of Mosquito.
In consequence Of these events and Of the conf It's
which took place in the town and in the river of San
juan between the British garrison and the troops Of
the Republic Of Nicaragua, a convention was signed
on the 18th Of March Of the same year. bet ~een The
Plebipotentiaries of Nicaragua and Capt. Granville
Lock, Of II. B. Mejestys Navy, in the small Island
of Cuba, adjacent to the City of Granada on the lake
Of said name, which provided that Nicaragua should
not in future modest the inhabitants Of San Juan;
but connecting her Government the right to send to
London diplomatic agent, in order to negotiate the
restitution Of the port and, by an amcabe treaty to
put an end TO the differences which unhappiy existed
between Great Britain and Nicaragua.
The Government of Nicaragua had previously ap.
peaed on several cccasons, TO the American Union,
to obtain it, good offices and its anicsble influence
with Great Britain in order to facilitate the equitable
settlement of the questions which had arisen.
The events above mentioned, The simultaneous &C.
QUESTION By the United States of Upper California
and New Me1co the facilities which the Ncaraguan
Isthmus affords for the construction OF maritime
canal or route Of inter-oceanic communication, a.
taced IN serious manner the attention OF the Amer,
lean paved the the United States and
Rfitsin eured at last the Intervention Of the
FORMER in the controversy, and in the questions which
Nicaragua was discussing with England giving also,
occasion TO the interesting and volumnous official
correspondence which was exchanged between the
Governments interested in those questions.
The lst article Of the treaty Of 10Th Of April 1850,
bound the high contracting parties not TO occuoy, pro-
tect or colonize Nicaragua Gotta Rcs the Mosquito
! Coat, or any part Of Central America.
After the ratification Of this Convention, the Hon.
Secretary Of State then Mr.. j. N. Clayton sent TO
Nicaragua Special Agent, charged to deliver to the
Supreme Magistrate OF that Republic letter dated
nth june 1880 inviting his Excellency for the
sons advanced in said letter to sccredt 10 Washing
ton d plop attic agent, with the necessary instruc-
tons and powers to conclude, with the United States
and Great Britain. treaty which, putting 40 end to
the controversy then existing, should, at the same
time, be in harmony with that which had previously
been signed, ratified and published by the two great
maritime powers.
The United States and Great Britain then sought
to copciiate the opposing interests of ali parties 10
tecure more and more the neutrality OF the Mics
rsgn.n isthmu. to put an end, hOno,aely aud com
patibly with the dignity Of II. B. Msjesty's Gov
eminent 10 the British Protectoraie the Mosquito
Coast, and TO restore 10 Nicaragua the port of san
JUAN then claimed to be under the scope of said Pro-
tecforate.
Uphsppily the result of the different negotiation.
which took place q, Washington with the object re-
erred TO- did not answer the expectations which were
entertained; ard affairs remained in an un.ltered
state, except sersibly aggravated by the complies
tons which followed to the greatest prejudice of the
interests of oil parties and 10 the eminent danger OF
and more trious conflicts.
Nicaragua on her part wishing to remove every
difficulty, proposed 10 Great Britain new basis Of
arrangement which was by the undersigned trans
miited TO the Department of State on the 2ith Janu
airy, 1854.
iure Of the difficulties opposed by Great
Britain TO this adjustment 40 be equally is of the
principles upon which the United Sistes propose 70
give, in London solution 10 this matter. He only
Knows the good will Of England, and hs no doubt Of
the sincere wishes OF the American Union 20 CO.
operate 10 the end which was from the beginning he'd
in view by al parties
But time hs. brought forward new incident aud q
novel difficulty 10 dsrrac, the minds and Interests of
al parties and to sdd another complication 70 th9ss
which previously existed.
Tie undersigned sludes 20 the Company recently
formed in the United States with the object, it Is
alleged OF eolonzing the Mosquito Territory and the
Territory situated to the North and the South Of the
San Juan River.
The nature and the proportions which have been
assigned TO this AFFAIR and principally its origin aud
source have called forth the official communications
which the undersigned had the honor TO address TO the
Department Of State on the 18th OF MAY. the I'd Of
November ard the llth Of December last to the con-
tents Of which the American Governm.n. seems 10
sssign less importance than TO thst which they really
have for Nicaragua, inssmach the Hon. Secretary
of State. laying aside the political principles which
up TO this time, have guided the Government II the
Union, ard the Arguments and reasons which had
been advanced against the BrtAh Proteetorate on the
Meequi.o Coast, SCENE equally inclined 10 assign to