Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-02-06

4
SKw YoRK, Jan 25, 1856.
Are we in danger of having war with Greaf
Britain, is the question OF the day The inn
portance of control in the affairs Of Central
America is impressing itself most forcibly upon
thinking minds Being the highway between
our Atlantic and Pacific States it is an inevita-
bic necessity. The refusal Of Great Britain to
comply with the obvious meaning of the Treaty
BY which she found herself to Withdraw from
the protectorate of the, so-called, Mosquito Ter
ritory, oblges this government to take stand in
this matter by which her dignity, as first class
power, shall not be compromised. As the Cen
trail American question is likely to be discussed
throughout the country, have taken the trodSIe
to collect some facts, relative to it, which may
interest the public.
Before the discovery of gold in California,
this region was politically, Of little Importance
to this country: but, in q commercial point OF
view, its value to the world at large could scarce
ly be overrated. A ship canal through it would
bring England several weeks nearer to her East
Indian possessions, and San Francisco thousands
| of miles nearer New York. As this canal would
| be of such universal benefit it was con-
sidered but fair to make it common property
hence the Treaty. For many years the Central
American States have been torn by factions and
distracted in their internal affairs by ambitious,
and unscrupulous persons, who obtained power
to enable them to plunder with greater impunity
They were, in fact, reduced to the condition Of
the Kilkenny CATS" after the fight, when Cols
Walker and French entered the territory with
their gallant little band of followers The eff
forts of these men in restoring peace will be
best appreciated by considering the amount OF
American interests now in that country.
There is the Nicaragua Transit Company with
capital of 100000. Commodore Vanderbilt,
agent, and VIM. H. Aspinvall, largest stock
holder. Both of these gentlemen are rated in
this city as millionaires. This Company is the
triumphant rival of the Panama line, and are
soon to carry the mails, which will give them an
enormous revenue; and it is supposed that re-
cognition Of the present government OF Mica
ragua by this country would increase their re-
ceipts to an additional half million per annum.-
| ~ Dduh u udS jus1 pCSh SoeooAShSu
by an American Company from California, CAPT.
tai $75O,O0O. This is to be the grand center of
exchange for the Pacific Trade. Agents in this
| city, c. X. Garrison & Co. A road is i'll process
of construction called the "Honduras Railroad"
which, when finished, will convey the South
American and Central American commerce in
goods from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts
This Company was organized by Z. G. Squier-
who has also published an interesting book upon
Central America. 1t is somewhat remarkable
that, the entire stock of this road was taken up
in Europe. In connection with this road is the
Honduras Mining Company" said to possess
vast silver mines on the Pacific side. This is al
so presided over by E, G. Squer, who has an Of
flee in this city. The Honduras Mining and
Trading Company has capital stock Of $780,
| 900 and controls over S5,O00,O0O of property in
| gold, silver and copper mines in Eastern Hon
duras. This Company has grant of 2O00
square miles of land J. D. Whelpley & Co.,
are the agents in New York, of thu. latter asso
citation.
| Besides all this vast quantity of land has
| permanent settlement there and will continue
| to be given for some time to come 1t is at pre-
sent impossible to estimate the value of Ameri-
can interests in Nicaragua, but it is enough to
Justify the administration in recognizing any
government that affords it protection. At the
present ratio of increase, the American pop
ulation will be in twelve months over 10000
The present population of Nicaragua and Hon.
duras is about 100000, chiefly Indians, who ere
sufficiently civilized to devote themselves, al
most exclusively, to agricultural pursuits.
| An interesting newspaper case came up in the
Supreme Court yesterday, before Judge Roose-
welt, concerning the propretorship of the New
York Daily Times, being the case of George
Jones against Fletcher Harper, Jr The action
was brought by Jones, one. of the proprietors of
the Times, against Harper, another proprietor,
| to enforce the performance of contract enter
ed into by said Harper to dispose of his interest
in the paper. From the testimony it appears
that the property and good will of the Times is
represented by one hundred shares of stock at
one thousand dollars per share. Fletcher Har-
|
and the business manager of the paper In Ju-
ly last he offered to sell out his interest to Jones
for $50, ,OO0-SlO,OOO down and the balance in
| IL months, Harper holding the stock as collat-
eral security for the payment of $4,000
Jones accepted the offer, paid over the $4,000,
and notes for the balance, when young Harper
said he must see his Pa about the matter The
Senior Mr.. Harper did not like the arrangement
at all the young MIR. Harper thereupon refusee
to transfer the stock to Jones, and offered to pay
back what he had received from him, which the
latter declined, and so it was agreed to call in
the assistance of the law to settle the matter; in
the meantime Messrs. Jones and Harper both re-
tired from participation in the management Of
the copcerns, and Mr.. Wesley took the charge of
the business department till after the adjust
ment of this difficulty.
The defense set up in this case seems to your
correspondent, who is no lawyer, not entirely un-
like that in the well-known Kettle case. The
defendant in that case, you will remember, SOL
emnly averred that the kettle was broken when
he borrowed it; 2dly, that it was whole when he
returned it; and, 3dly, that he never borrowed
| it. In the suit under notice, the defendant ad-
mits that he is the owner of the stock, but AYERS
that lie could not sell it without giving the as
sociation the refusal of it, which he did not DO.
2dly, that although apparently owner of the
stock, he was not so in fact, as it had been paid
for by his father and held in the name of de-
fendant to allow him to participate in the con-
troll of the paper, and that he, the defendant, had
moreover actually transferred 90 Of the so
shares to his father before making the contract
with Jones, and, therefore, had but one share
in his possession at the time he sold the 80
shares. WAS this young man educated in Wall
street?) he denies that he made any formal
proposition for the sale of his interest and that
the verbal proposition that he did make was in
sincere and jocose. Denies that he accepted the
money and notes for the purpose for which they
were given, &c. Fourthly, he sets up general
denial of all the plaintiffs allegations The case
excited good degree of interest.
l learn that the ''Times Newspaper Associa.