The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-01-03

have been placed upon this convention by the rts
minister al Was ngton In his letter Mr. Clayton of the
TN o. January 1854 copy OF which Is doubtless In the
possession OF Lord Clarendon ID would be- strained
construction Of Mr. Claytons carefully uarded
70 make his small islands the neghborhood embrace
the comparatively large and very important island
tan Win lis excellent harbors 10 the neighbofhood
bat hundreds Of miles dstantn island represeated as
the key Of the Bay Of Honduras and the focus OF the trade
q The neghborng countries which considerably larger
according 70 Captain Henderson, than many Of the West
India islands in cultivation and in It's soil natural adj
Hanssges not inferior 10 any Of them This would
make The dependency FAR valuable than the principal
ana 70 engraft an absolute sovereignty upon
iruct And here 1t may be proper the quo
tauon island drperdeneies,p Ia the British statement ii
intended 70 DC made from any part Of Mr. Cayon decla
ration, i Incorrect quotation His language il not
island dependences but ~sma islands IN the negbbor-
hood OF Belize This island is them clearly Central
American island IN the neighohood Of Belize but Of
the State OF Honduras and the language OF Mr. Clay
toms statement much relied upon one Of the roper
dependencies Of that State and is therefore embraced
the treaty indeed il would be little short an absrity
for Mr. Cayton 10 have excepted il is contended he
ought 10 have done from his declaration including only
Athe small Islands in the nsghborhoodn OF Belize The
distant large and valuable island of Ruasn And yet
is alleged, from his omission do this that Great Britain
was justified lin deeming that her claim TO Ruatan
part Of the Belize settlement not about 10 be disputed
The British statement attach considerable inn
portance to the facbut why, is difficult conceive
that Mr. Buchanan in his statement observes that Rua
tan was occupied in 1850 by Great Britain IL was for
the very that only uaan but nearly the whole
eastern coast of Central America occupied by Great
Britain that the Of the United States
anxious to eonclade convention requiring her to with
draw from this occupation IL for this that the
United States, ample consideration for this with
dawa bound themselves never to occupy amy portion of
Central America But for this agreement withdraw the
United States In seldefence would have been compelled
To accept cesson5 Of territory in Central America be-
cause without such territory Great Britain would have
been left in position absolutely TO command only the
projected canal by the Lake Nicaragua but all other canals
and railroads which may be constructed through any
part Of the isthmus The convention therefore not
confined to this single route but extended It's protection
Wo any other practicable Communications whether by
canal or railway the isthus which North
and South America Both parties 10 stand aloof
and neither Of them occupy territory the vicinity
Of any of these routes much less island which, from its
position and excellent harbors would enable strong
val power in possession of it close any rail-
roads which might be constructed across the sthmus
Now, whether Great Britain in the occupation of
Rnatan ut the date OF the convention by good by
bad title cannot make the least difference In regard the
construction of that instrument The might have been
different had the question arisen between her and the State
Of Honduras The question between the United States
and Great Britain however the validity of her
title but matter what it may have BEEN whether she
has not agreed to abandon Der occupation under this title
not what the state of things before but what she
agreed 1t should become after the conclusion Of the
yeption Still of Difference the British statement
Which contends that the British title good this
island at the conclusion OF the convention il but proper
to examine the which this chain was founded
Ancient possession Is invoked TO sustain this claim and
is said that it is well known that Tin l742 the Eng
be stated that this possession speedily abandoned We
informed by Recess Cycloped published ia London
1919, that 1.-THE English In the year lT42 formed settle
rnet here IN Ruatan for the purpose of carrying the
iogwood trade, but u abandoned s3 aas
In the map published by Jerie in 1906 cited
by Lord Clarendon it may be observed that there 10
other copy of the very map in the British Museum
published in the year. which Rnatan is color
cd British possession At the date of this map
of America was comparatively but little known For this
reason the map published at London in 1851 by James
Wyd geographer 10 the Queen "of the West India and
Bahama islands with the Of Yucaan Hon
duras Caracas &c, also TO be found in the British Mu-
scum Of much higher authority and upon its face Rua
tan and the other Bay Islands assigned onduras The
same view is presented by the same author on q former
Map of the West India and Bahama islands, &C. publish
ed in lsi9, and now in possession Of the legation
IL may also be confidently asserted weii-known his
torca fact that if the English in the occupation of
Ruaian at the date Of the treaty with Spain of 1876 they
abandoned IL Immediately thereafter in obedience that
treaty Brookss General Gazetteer published at London
in 1853 distinctly states this fact Ii SAYS his beautiful
island partially covered with wood was once in possession
of the English who fortified its excellent harbo b alan
doned tcheH they utdrsr from the Mosquito shore And
Johnston, in his Dictionary Of Geography, published in
London in 1851 and 1852 describes il island the
north coast OF Central America, Jory belonging 10 Ge
EHgiishn eEEl' .a.
southern extremity IL good barbor with bat
eries erected by tho English during their occupa
ton" So
At what PERIOD then after the Of 1885,
island TO be spanish and become English Ii ad
in bis account of the British settlement of Honduras,
thorty which viii not be disputed that still spanish
island In 1901 The next hear Of IL that IL in the
possession OF Honduras the OF SPAIN in 1880
whilst the confederation Of the Central American States s
continued exist and in that tpot in 1885,
the former satemen captured from that State by the Brit
ish forces but Afterwards restored The follow
ing extract from Groves Gospel in CentrsI Amecaa
able and interesting work prepared after personal obscrva
ton, and published in London ls5ogivcs
count Of the transaction. The author 1880 The only
notable breach upon peace aud good
island of Rustzn In the BAY OF Honduras authorities
Of the neighborng British But, upon complaint
BY the federal the act OF the superintendent
Bers Theoretically drsalowed by bis government
quarter and under the of the power
There other evidence OF mar chsrsct In the posses
of Mr.. buchanan but 1t proceedS from American
II Is deemed best 10 let the Especially they
have not been contrsd'ctsd by the British
upon the authority OF British author Of highly respectable
Of its second capture is4
ing IL {" inClorious revolution"
Lord Clarendon bis this island and
that OF Benscc have doubtless been various tunes e
unoccupcd, and at others claimed held by other
but says, 1t IL certain that 1885, 1882 and 1870 fit
her right TO the same but declared her intention maintain
that right by force
That is substance, that Great Britain captured th,
island from Honduras in st and expelled the troops of thai
State from w. and maintains that this capture gives her
title IL is impossible that claim bs island
time OF profound She convert the
act of which Honduras complains and outrage
into the foundation of Brsh title of the which
the seizure Of kuasn made by the superintendent
Belize in lil Mr. Grove speaks In The following language:
As he expected, Colonel Macdonald found only lew In
hsbaus under Of sergeant, and small detachment
of soldiers belonging 10 the State u Hopduras These being
incapable OF resistance he proceeded bsu down the Tag