The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-11
AMairs an Central Amer,ca.

Cuta-wALKER's ADVENTURES IN A MORAL, FL
NANIIAL AND MILITARY POINT OF vIEw-How He
Must AND WHY HE SHOULD PAIL.
lrt a We Gsoets %" t''-len ala OF June 1855
The plague Of flibusterism which to-day, is az
fic'ing Nicaragua, and is threatening the other
States Of Central America is neither ne phenome-
non IN these cout tries, nor an evil unknown to our
tereistners.
Wbosoeyer has taken an interest in perusing our
old chronicles paid the least attention to Our ira
ditons, such have been Transmitted orally as re-
membranes Of past umes. Well know thst the
coasts OF Nicaragua ana Costa Rlca as wen as tnose
ofPansna ana the inland cities, have, at times,
been disturbed by pira;icai invasions which spread
terror and CONSERVATION among the inhabitants OF
those usually peacea5e countries; walker Is not
the first adventure VII, frightened the population
of Nicaragua: others as much or more daring than
he have pOrsued this course with more or less
cess according 20 circumstances. The present chief
of ftus'ers, therefore. has merit of originality
for strictly speaking be must be considered only
kind of pligiary of the Morgans, the Charpes, and
cthers less known
oontinent could not easily be defended, their extend
ed shores bathed by the Caribbean and the Paci-
fc ocean being almost entirely laid open to any at
tack. On some important military points like Car
tbaeepa Omoe aud Others, there Notifications,
but the extensive coast ine necessarily left
protected. To this cir umsiance 1t Is, perhaps, to
he attributed that the Spanards for the most part,
founded their principal cites in the interior: for,
Otherwise they would have been exposed not only
10 the aggreseions of corssirs and praes who, es-
pecially in the midst OF toe seventeenth century,
infested the but also 10 The attacks OF the naval
forces OF the different cations with whom Spain
was then frequently at war
An ancient writer Of the history of those coun-
tries, who is often cited by those who have occupied
themselves with the history of that period anterior
to independence (Alcedv), thus describes the ad-
yeDturers who during the year 1860, invaded the
Spanish establishments III that part of the world
"Filibusters those cor;airs are called, or rather
pirates, who, belonging ali nations, established
themselves under the name OF buccaneers on the
island of Sauto Domingo. Some of them who
mt orta tod wifi q
or fifty, bought boat AMI elected a commander,
with whom they went 10 sea 70 rob and plumber
whatever vessel they might neet with. On account
of their facilities for ffovinr rich, and OF their
Liberty to indulge in al kim OF the most abom
naDle vices their nun Der creased considerably,
ano having become Haste's + the small island OF
Tortuga and OF somo large boats they began to
attack the ports and coasts Of toe Spaniards, COM
hitting the greatest atrocities
We End in our own history OF that period that
in the year l67l, when, after the od city o. Panama
having been taken and burnt the pirates were pre-
pairing to invade with their ships the coasts of Mica
Iagua and Costa Rcs, forces sere gathered to defend
them and that Guatemala also sent her aid.
In the years l6Sl and 1885, the pirates. under the
command OF the French adyentDrer Cbarpe, entered
the port Of Cslders, sacked and burned the city of
Esparza, in Costa Rics. and carried away prison.
ers great many persons whom, for a ransom OF
81 600, they put aeain ashore.
According TO the same writer, the city Of Leon,
capital OF the province OF Nicaragua was pundered
in the year 1885, by band OF pirates almost In the
sight al corps of troops who were unable to hinder
it. The port OF Reaejo was frequently attacked
bv such dangerous guests.
IL is no. the first time that GRANADA, to-day the
headquarters of adventurers not less erocous than
those OF the seventeenth century, has been invaded
by foreign pirates. j. may be interesting 70 learn
that Sergeant Major d. Geronimo de la Vega La
oayo reported in the year 1859, in this respect, to
the King OF Spain
This city could to-day be one of the most opu-
lent Of the province but for having been pundered
three times; twice 10y way of The river San Juan,
and another time by the way Escalante port stu
ated at distance OF twenty leagues on the Pacific
ocean. On the 18th OF April, 1855 small nu nber
OF English and French, amounting to no more than
400, disembarke1 there. Tie Spaniards, being APP
pried OF the fact, prepared TO defend themselves by
erecting on the plaza az lntrenchment in the form
of q square, armed with fourteen carnop and six
swivel guns At two O'Clock in the afternoon of the
9th, the enemy, by forced march, approached the
place, and after a short fight, carried il. On the
following day he proposed D. the Inhabitants to set
them free for ransom in OF refusal, to fire
their town. Thew, believing IL 10 be mere threat,
scoeded only u the proposition when they saw the
o<urch Of San Francisco srd eight dwelling buses
set on FIRE. The enemy. after having done this mis-
Chief retired with the loss Of but thirteen men,"
The 18th October OF 1855 reminds Us TO a certain
6egite Of the 9th April OF 1855; but to-day circun
stances are very different from what they were at
that time. The four hundred pirates who then at
tackled Granada did no other harm than what has
been stated, ard retired satisfied with the ransom
which the frightened Inhabitants were obliged q
pay. To-day the hlibrsters are not content with 20
little. treaty OF surrender which puts all at the
discretion Of tie adventures is the prize as well as
the lives anc property Of the principal Inhabitants,
and tue pirates are stll masters Of a country which,
In the midst Of the nineteenth century, displays less
elements Of resistance than was in possession OF at
the close OF the seveu,een'h-a strange contrast
ard IT TO provoke painful reflections.
Neither was Honduras spared the s,ourge Of
piracy; for Tfuxillo aud Ola cho m the year l6sS,
were attacked and plundercd by adyenturers, who
carried away the Governor aud other persons, for
whose liberty they received ransom OF five thou
sand dollars.
Lastly, Gustemala itself wa on the point Of being
threatened with invasion ny the pirates; for, AZ
ter having attacked the port o Ralejo ana the city
Of Leon in the year 1856, they INTENDED TO overrun
the capital Of the kiog1om. ,utering 10y the bar Of
Iztapan. As soon as this was known, mea ures OF
defence were taken, by converting Escuintla into q
depot OF arms, and assembling there, besides the
military forces OF the district three companies Of
the city Of Guatemala and five OF the valley.
Moreover Spain, at the time, was moi left alone
in tie care Of pursuing and destroying the pirates
who infested her establishments. We know by our
ancient history that England and France did not zee
with indifference those scandaous violations Of inter
national law but quite the contrary, contributed ELI
oacously by their naval forces tofee the sea from
the pirates who caused such serious damages.
The Duke Of Alternate, Governor Of Jamaica, re
oeived from the British government a special com
mission 70 pursue the pirates AID discharged himself
OF II in so effcien, manner that he ordered what
ever hbusters fell In 20 bis hands 70 be hanged-a
measure which insured tranquility 20 the ports and
coasts Of Spanish America, and did great honor to
the Duke, who died Ia 1889. The Count OF Blense,
Governor Of SsnO Domn 70 IN the year liza. by his
energetic measures forced the pirates 90 give up
their dangerous trade entirely.
Thus closed the first epoch OF fbusterism in
Central America 20 reappear two hundred years
later, almost on the same points II did the
first time, and under circumstances somewhat Gnalo
COus {, those which accompanied these daring enter
prises az the end of the 18th cersury. but the
continuation Of this kind Of piracy in Central America
requires a separate article.
FROM tbs zane psDrl
A. We remarked In the foregoing article, there IL
certain analogy between the respective characters
Of those pirstici expeditions against Central Ame
RIGA which took place at the close OF the seventeenth
cen,nry snd those going on in our osn time. Now,
- then u = the adventurous spirit which gives the
impulse 20 this kind Of enterprise. it, last object be
ing other Than % procure 70 the adventures GER
tam edvsDtagef. There s in reality no political,