The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-07

What canal could be aug There IS lho ~
Of Nicaragua and the river San Juan 10 helpit rheI
ships could 20 from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific and tbes1
| would constitute one grand mercantile sea-
But Central America, generally is obscure phras
othe public at large this obscnrity becomes very hc
| mist, indeed, whep we so into particulars How many
persons IN well Informed circles had hoard OF th
island OF Ruaian before the last two three months
lhis island, which has become Of much importanc,
lately, and Is now the bone OF contention between two
mighty empires, has hitherto occupied 50 little share d
the public attention that even its spelling Is moi as vet ac
cnately fixed. Is spelt in the maps and gazetteer
Ru,tan Rattan Roatan, Ruaan according 10 the better 81
worse information which prevailed at The moment W,
are sorry 10 We can throw no til part of lid
subject and wait Till American scholarship pronounce
The ultimate decision Well then RutLan Rattan RoaaI
| or Ruatan, is described by Mr.. Buchanan ass,
An island value Importance on account of ID
Excellent haIhe,s which are rars along hat coast Indeed
a s y s ss % the sey Of ~
countries" suchis rs comma nng geographical position
na United States its pae % and om s
,hmns In vain may the convention have prohibited Gres
naindng me Seaag canal or in other portions OF Cen
ra anerca she shall continue 10 exercise dominion ove
the "Bay Islands"
We think Mr. Buchanan rathe- exagecrates the i'm
por'aGce OF Ruaan, its commanding position and contr0
over The prospective channel through the ishmus Tho
project which adopted the river San Juan the lake
Nicaragua as the line Of this canal has believe como
1oan end, and the prospective company with its con
cmpated sha ehoders, shares board Of directors chair
man ana ON ers has, for two three years. beer
world OF even visionary existence BIT, &c any fnturd
project adopts the same line, one al all near IT, Ruat
VIII DC ABOUT 400 mics from the channel OF eommnnca
ton between the two seas For al practical purposes Ja
maca Will be almost a. near.
auaan, then being thus described, to whom does Rua
tan belongY II must be frankly confessed that maps
and gazecers rather of hand on these questions
They express the fynid fucie view Of the case rathe
than strictly legal truth Thus with respect TO Be- re
the best and most authoritative English gazetteer nov
exant says
iards but finally yielded up to Britain in 1888
But the treaty Of 1883 did the Spanish sove
rcignty Belize but specially reseryng the sovereign
ty, only allowed the 'useful domain usufruct-i e.
the right Of cutting ogwood In the way the cas-
OF Ruatan, maps with their red blue rather cx|
press the general fact that the British have somethin
TO do with the place than any accurate claim Of pro
pretorship when come 10 facts we nave TO depar
little from tue completeness and clear outline OF paper
and we enter upon rather misty and confused scene
Now we are in the world OF American reality and begin
What sort Of thing occupation is and hos many differ
en kinds OF occupation there are, and what different ye
sions may be often given OF the TACT. Take,
the two following versions OF the British cupacns ro
time to time Of Rua,an and the Bay Islands The Amer
can, as given IN the report OF the Committee OF tn
Senate in 1862 is
to the coast constituted, from their earliest discovery
ern continent o. America Il is true hat during The wars
ae sa s I na n e The
from time TO time came into the possession OF Engan
STAND q Ruasn was seized BY authority Of he British pe
IF B1 s on complaint BY h ets.a
the British and the island to The author
ties OF the republic
The version in our dispatches is
Il be disputed that whenever Ruaan has been pc
maneny occupied either in remote recent lines by
has been by British subjects.
or take the two versions Of part case or occ
patton in the year 1871. This is the American versoi
contained the Of the Committee Of abo
referred TO -
IL 1871 this ,snd was again violently asea pos.ss:on
Belse, in person accompanied by small body Of men, in
sw oSaa s sGse Of
were driven on the nag Of Honduras hauled DOWN and
q &c .s6sT q. r,% z, whom ias sIssoss ass:sp
uSS" ss ss ss. a1s subj
such assS Ss
Since This the Island Ia. been under Bird
control and considerable numbers Of settlers have
Grove published in London. 1850. :
Our version of the occupation Of 1871 IL as follows
true tina, the republic Of Central America declared
has merely rested that republics De
aware that iorern Dag Was flying al Raatn British an
iwar was sent TO haul down and since that time
when on two or ares complaints have been brou
IL Rnssn 10 ihr Commandment q rrnaills The commana
has referred them to Belize, telling them Ia, The STAND
Now, here two versions OF The same story, each
which has is iavorite fact, Of which MAKES mn
treating the others favoritc fact with considcral
kcufenr. There H. the fact OF the flag tai and the 20
Of british occupation In spite OF the flagstaff "Y
seized Ruatan,n says the American version, "wh
and the Honduras officials were, 10 behalf
their republic guarding their old and recognized ten
tory" III i true rays the other version, there
flag Of som. kind there, but as heard
We hauled down again, and the island has been In
occupation ever since" This, then, Is question wh
an arbiter would have 10 setiles-Was the Gagsta
Honduras, though stick, stll the Representative
legal rights was British actual and living ocupst
the true propriciorshp Of the islsndi
The excellent remarks ION relations with
United states, !" which appeared in Saturday imp
sion, suggest We believe, the proper line for both
40 suL. Nl.ss. H..
fair and amcable reference TO third party, whether
thu. ,shapc Of another Power Of some scientific
rees. such an arrangement win secure, so far a.
can, the continuance Il the Cayton.Balwcr treaty
treaty which Is certainly the wisdom Of this country
keep alive, and which was sagacously framed 10 se
alike the interests OF this country and tho commerce
tho world
OPINIONS or THE FRENCH PRESS.
prom the Assembled rationale, Juno ISL
The insult offered 10 Mr.. CHAMPION will be felt In
land, but in one way another policy " tempors
will be adopted. II the same fact happened IN Naples
Greece, or In some small republic Of the New World,
know very well what would occur and what would
the attitude which lord Palmerston would assume;
bearing Whatever NAV be The mean OF argres
which England possesses, and how little abe may hav
fear-sreakirg IN military way-from var with
10 engage IN such struggle OF 10 enter UPON T. ex
compelled by absolute necessity.
The same Journal in lie issue has the followin
For the present We viii simply state tia. the gov
ment ~ the United States not much .pcline
ID had been announced nj FIRST TO accept arb us
upon the Central American affairs. II does
this pToyositio, absolute manner, but i would
ter direct negotiation, which. may bring ~ again
which decided in 1850, and may amend The eng
entered into on that occasion.
IRON la Gazette dc France, June ISL
Are the violent proceedings " President force TO
ceiycd as acts q cordially and intended 10
more easy the Cancellation q that rower with the U
Staesy Thls certainly would be n new way Of
ablshng union and good understanding N the dipor
relations of states Tie Club thai England
keep Mr. Iallas in London, and send, n r,sce OF
CHAMPION, another representative 10 Washington.
4 the dismissal Il the latter to render rela
casicr why should the dismissal Of Mr. Dallas, wh
tie Part the Cabinet of Washington has been the
of many disagrecablc communc atoms, not be dc,
upon by the British Ministry with the sane intent
conchstiong Would Lord Clarendon be less cordiaI
President Pcrcef
There Il thing which cannot be understood IL
country after the explanations OF the Cabin
Washington II the government Of the United
Judged that Mr.. Champion had violated the Internal
law by favorine the enlistment Of American suhject
the service o, England, why did President Fierce
year before dismissing the ambassador
~ the very moment when this violation Ct the A.
laws was committed the passports ought TO have