Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-05-16
LETTER FROM GEN. WHEAT-THE BRITISH
AIDING TIE COSTA RICANS.

To the Editor Of the Herald:
While the British Government is protesting the
kndst possible feelings for this country and endeav-
orng to prove to that they not, and have not
been interfering in Central American Affairs a
British feet of seven or eight war steamers has been
lying at Greytown for no ether purpose than 10 defeat
the little column under Col. Lockridge. When the
first recruits arrived from the States British officer
named Cockburn-nephew of the admiral of the
same name, who burnt our CapitO-went shore
with a proclamation from Erskine, the commander
of the feet. offering protection 10 all who chose TO
avol themselves Of Suppose he had pursued a
like course in 1917 at Vera Cruz-for there was q
great many of her AIaiesty's loyal subjects in our
army-how long would il ave been beforeh would
have graced the yard-arm of an American man Of
war? Not even. the hope Of prize money, nor the
promise that he might have little city burn could
have tempted him to do IL; but when protected by
eight war steamers he becomes brave enough to land
and disorganize our little column Not satisfied
with thus openly aiding Costa Rica, by weakening
our force the British offered every inducement to
the men to desert giving them through their agents.
fifty cents day TO live on and then shipping them
on board the English mail steamers to Aspinwall.
Every time the Rescue arrived, she was boarded
by British official whilst gunbOats surrounded her
to intimidate our men. When the expedition was
eventually broken up and Col Lockrdge had col
lected ali the arms munitions Of war, &c, on board
the Rescue, Erski3e sent for the and told them
that II iheY would take the munitions OF war from
Col Lockridge and give them int his hands as
security, he would procure them passages TO the
United States The men thereupon gave up the
arms which we're then placed in the hands Of Mr.
Martin, Mayor GreytO Fn and afterwards taken from
him by the British and placed in the keeping of a
man namel Scott. BY this stroke of British diplo-
macy the were rendered perfectly harmless.
Erskine Immediately sent for CAVITY, an EBglishman,
who is in command of the Costa RIcan troops on the
river He came down forthwith and, under the
protection Of British guns he took the Rescue and
remained in GreytOwu Unmoesed. He was enter
tanned most handsomely by the English officers, and
no armed boats intertered with him. inundated
his men. Could all the tabled wealth of Golconda
have tempted Canty to come to GreytoEn if he had
not felt perfectly that the British would protect
him? As soon as this work had been accomplished,
the whole feet except gunbOat got up steam and
left.
Is ii not a strange coincidence that feet of eight
war steamers should remain six months at Greytown,
and then leave soon the river was safe in the
hands Of Costa Rica, and not until then? What
was that feet there for, il not to annoy and, if pos
slble, destroy the column that river? England
has set her eyes upon Nicaragua at great highway
for her commerce. and have it she will if it can be
DONE She is, and has been all along, the ally of
Costa Rica. She aims through Costa Rica at plant
ing her foot in Nicaragua and once there never mind
by what means, she will then claim it with the same
title that she does the kingdom Of Dude or any of
her other dominiOns throughout the world. Let
and set diplomatic speeches of her Minister lead US
from the true issue. The British have obtained
fOOthOed in the different Central American States
and Mr. Buchanans Cabinet will find it hard mat
ter ever to dislodge them. c. R. WHEAT
New York, May 4, 1857.