The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-30

e-Tne ba Isianus ana Mosquito
Shore.
BY special conveyance we have received ex-
clusively, and publish In another column, the
text OF the Convention recently negotiated be-
tween Great Britain and Honduras, for the re-
turn Of the Bay Islands to Honduras, and for
the surrender Of the Mosquito Pro.ectorate
over that part Of the Mosquito shore falling
within the rightful territorial jurisdiction Of
that republic. This Convention Is a revision
of the two Conventions signed In London In
1856, by Lord Clarendon and Sehor Victor
Herran. as representative Of Honduras, and
which the government Of that republic declined .
to accept To facilitate comparison, and to
show how much more liberal terms Great
Britain found 1t right or polite 10 concede, We
republish the two Conventions of 1856, In con.
junction with that Of 1859.
1t will be seen that In the old as well a
the new Convention the importance OF sccur-
ing the neutrality of the Bay Islands, az well
as OF the territory Of the main land adjacent
with reference to any railway or other route
of communication which may be constructed
across the territory OF Honduras" IL made the
ostensible object ofthc surrender of the islands.
Special care seems to have been taken in
both cases to avoid making the act of
surrender in any way a recognition Of the ex.
isting or antecedent rights of Honduras over
the islands. This is rather ungracious; but We
are not disposed to quarrel with the motives
Of pretexts which an opponent may assign for
doing what is right. We feel, as we presume
does Honduras, very much in the condition of
that afflicted lady who advertises for her kid
mapped poodle, round reward and no ques-
tions asked of the person who may return it
to its lawful owner.
1t will be observed that the conditions of
the restoration Of the islands to Honduras are
very materially and favorably modified. Under
the Convention Of 1856 the inhabitants of the
islands, settled there under British auspices.
were made practically independent of the 20.
vernment of Honduras-a kind of imperium
IN i'nperio. They were to be governed by their
own officers, under their own laws, relieved
from taxation and military service, and exempt
from the operation of the general revenue
laws of the country, to which they were to be
nominally attached. Under the present ar
rangement they are only to retain their actual
property and liberty of worship. We are
free to say that Great Britain could not stipu-.
late for less, so far as the actual occu-
pants of the islands are concerned Most
of them have gone there under the attrac-
tions of English jurisdiction, in good faith.
and Great Britain was fairly bound to provide
for the protection of their property and free
dom of conscience. The only stipulation in
derogation of the sovereignty of Honduras ia
that which binds the republic never to make
any cession of the islands to any State or govern
ment whatever. This provision seems to be-
aimed at the United States, whose capacity for
absorption of neighboring territoryis the buga-
boo of European diplomacy. Still, it is not
30 directly offensive as the slavery clause in the
Convention of 1856, which is now wisely left
out; and, on the whole, we do not think on,
government or people will object to the pro
vision; for we all know that these attempts t
fetter and chain down the will Of God and tn.
inevitable course Of events by treaties ant
conventions are idle and futile We neet
only look back to 1915 and its treaties, "tripl
bound in brass" which were to control the flu
ture of Europe, to see how circumstances
the changes Of time, and the necessities of ns
tons, mock at the plans and ar-reachin
schemes Of what the world calls statesmer
They provided that no Bonaparte should eve
rule in Europe; and to-day the Third Napoleo
dictates the policy Of the Continent So
will be here In America. When it sha
appear that the mutual interests of Hondura
and the United States shall dictate union
the two countries, we may be sure it will tai
place, all Clayton and Bulwer conventions a,
needless clauses in treaties with Great Brita
to the contrary Notwithstanding. We are
discussing the utility or probability of such
event: it may never occur; but it certain
will not be prevented by the impotent stir
lation to which we refer
AS regards the Mosquito Indians, we M
confess we do not see why they should
made pensioners on Honduras for even
small sum as $4,000, for SO short term
ten years The State has other barbara
within her borders quite as deserving as
mongrel brood of Mosquitoes. There are
industrious Caribs of the north coast, and
docile Payas and Xicaques of the interior;
Great Britain had just as much right to stipu
for aims in their behalf as for the leprous
quitos. Still, if Honduras chooses to overl
the slur on her sovereignty which the stip
ton involves, in consideration of gel
rid Of troublesome pretensions and
references, it is no concern of ours.
sides, $4,000 is no very ruinous matter,
as the Mosquitoes will probably spend the W
of it in bad rum, 1t may prove a cheap VI
exterminating the whole disagreeabe b1
and relieving the country of Mosquitoes
Mosquito protectorates together