The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-07-29

Coavxusio. Bstvs " Great Brttsla ss,sl sssa
1m~..-C<sssoa Of the Ts rrisvry VT Bciiz.
co sns ~ gsssh.
A coovt nu.D has Just been concluded between
Mr.. Wyke. British Cearg6 'Atfa,ses ia t,oste
nIsls, ana the government " teat eocslied re
public, Of more than ordinary Importance, hy
the terms OF which Gustemala esdes TO Gfga
Britain the absolute right Of sovereignty Ia and
over the district of territory hitherto known a,
British Honduras, OF Belize. The cession oon
prehends the entire coast, from the southeromos'
limits Of Yucatsn downwards to the Ss'stoou
river, with the anjacent islaods-aitoge,her 40
extent Of ssacosst Of not lees than one hundred
and sixty MILES ia q right lie. Its interior OF
western boundary 10 from point called Car
butts Falls, OIL the Ssrstoon river, extending
due north 10 thu frontiers OF Yucatan. The dis
lance of Gsrbuts's Falls inland from the sea has
been vaJiousiy estimated ut from sixty 70 one
hundred and TWENTY-FIVE miles. Il il, however
very nearly eighty miles 10 right line from enc
coast, and probably not far from haadsec
and ten following the sinuosities OF the river.
This wosilo give the entire area OF che terri
tory ceded at sixteen Thousand square miles
about equal to that Of Vermont and New
Hamcshire combined. There limits, it should
he observed, are precisely those which
were Claimed by Sir George Grey in 1886, aud
the widest pretensiOns ever set
up by the Britisb government or iss agents. A
remarkable feature in the convention under
notice IL the fact that the cession is not III any
contracting parties, but absolute, without com
pensa,ion or reservation Of any kin0; in word
it is an unconditional surrender. This is the
more surprising, M 1t reduces the frontage OF
Guatemala on the Atlantic to a narrow limit
not exceeding thirty miles, anGs gives G~eas
Britain a complete domination over Sscto
Tomas, the only port which Guaternia possesses
on that ocean Another extraordinary provision
OF the con~ention il its recognition Of the sists
IN quo Of M the Britysf' establishments, whether
of settlement OF for cutting mahogany. beyous
the limits defined, and preservation Of all CLAIMS
Of possession or occupancy CD the part of BRITISH
eubjec t. 10 such establishments and the lands
connected Ws,h them. On these accounts toe
convention met With strong opposition il
the Council OF State (Consejo del Es,ado)
majority of but two votes. 1t IL usder.
stood that the Dictator Carrera. who is
president foy Life" Of the 80 called republic
is entirely usder English ,entrol, aud threw toe
whole weight of bis Influence in favor of the
and against IA Executive invested
with his extraordinary powers, it proves no
small degree OF courage on the part ot'the mi
notity Of the nembern in the COuncii cf5State 90
oppose the cessiOn. 1t has, nevertheless, been
mace, and the act, 60 far es Guaternala is con
cerned. is contaminated. The ratification Of the
Convention BY the British. government If to be
made within year; but is is not Likely that it
will hesitate hour in consuumaricg = treaty
which comedies everything to whicc- she ever
affected . Claim or ret ups preteBce.
Assuming that the cession Will be accepted, or
which there oan be no doubt, the result will be
The permanent establishment OF u new British
colony dependency on the coast of Central
America Hitherto 1t il true, Br,tish estsb-
sbuept has existed there, which has been, in
sveryti ing but 10 name, q British colony, 60
verned by superintendent named by the crown
absolute, AID Belize take formal rank al q
British colony, in the same sense with Demerara
II Jsoa,ca. It is not our present pur
ooee Jo discuss the political bearings OF
his event. 1t certainly Cannot be understood
,s indicating disposition on the part of Great
Britain to give up her territorial prete psions in
Central America nor does it look like a con
fofmity on her part TO the Monroe doctrine
which we have so loudly promulgated but 30
poorly enforced. As far civilization goes. and
better that Belize should be- in possession Of
Great Briten than under the eiI.te government
Of Guatemala. We may at least look ia one
case, for some degree Of INDUSTRY and civiiiaa-
tioH, mel her one of which could be hoped for Il
it were left TO native dominion; aud de facto
British establishment aireaoy existing it l. per
baps At well that ii should take some definite po-
sition as IN remain any longer in IN anoma-
lous condition, source Of constant contention
and dispute.
Since the commencement Of the discussion on
wba. is called the Central Amer lean question
it has come to be very well known that Belize
owes It's foundation to the buccaneers and that
in fact its nsme is only Spanish corruption Of
the Name of Wallace, noted Scotch fee
booter, who had bis lair at OF near the place
where the town Of Belize ia built. On the dc.
cline Of piracy, and when, ia consequence of the
cessation o. the wars against Spain, it became
unsate to practise their profession, most of the
old buccsneeys turned their attention to log@ood
cutting In Csnpeacby, on the coast near Belize,
then vaguely called Honduras, and on the Mos
quito shore. Wien tired of work however. or
anxious to fill out their cargoes with speed, they
did not scruple to arm Themselves and make
descebts on the cuttings of the Spanisrds, and
when their band was il, to do a little quiet