The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-06-12

Many of our readers will remember that one of
Tue consequences of the CLAYToN-BULwER treaty
was mat negotiations were entered into between
GREAT Britain and Honduras for the surrender to
Nne latter of that group of Islands in the Bay of
honduras of which Ruatan is the largest and
most important. The only conditions imposed by
GREAT Britain in making the cession of the Bay
lS"huS' were that Honduras should not, at any
iu'ure Time, sanction, with regard to them, the
introduction of slavery, and should respect the
laws ana customs of the colonsts. Very recently
the terms of this Convention have been formally
ta''leu, IN spite Of the earnest remonstrances of
,"e people OF Ruatan, and of their openly avowed
determination not to knowledge the jurisdiction
HONDURAS unless the latter will consent to accept
noiulu" SoVereignty-leavng the islanders per-
nee 10 organize a separate and semi-inde-
Pe"ueht FORM OF government AS GUARDIoLA tie
isIueht OF Honduras, has vouchsafed no response
'U'S demand, and as Governor PRICE has
wv" Puohcnohce to the inhabitants that 'grave
reasons OF State had necessitated the relinqush-
!, "' Vi British sovereignty over the islands,"
certain knowledge that the transfer was finally
'i'ilned upon, and would soon take place,
'' created the most intense excitement among
~, ~ "hom the proclamation has been addressed.
hRNoR offer ola free passage to theWest In
,sonuS, and of a liberal donation of crown lands
80. no might be disposed to embrace the oppor-
49,! naS been Indignantly spurned, and, judg-
''n the tone and temper of the people, and
" ue spirit of the circulars which some of the
"ueiS OF the opposition have issued, it would APP
hat no ri of
riouuuras to exercise authority over the people of
-'u"'an Will be resisted by force of arms. There
Gan scarcely be doubt but that, in such case,
'"e reVoIutioniss would be successful. In con-
VS' Waged upon so small scale there does not
:eell' on taking superficial view of it, much that
. vi interest to us here in the UNITED STATES; but
u we look deeper into the matter it is not difficult
10 see that it would involve important issues The
island of Ruatan is the key to the Bay of Hondu-
'"S' and although but thirty miles in length and
sumo thirteen in breadth, it possesses, in addition
~ remarkably fertile soil, one of the finest har-
''' IN the caribbean sea. When once the en-
aance Is passed, it is found TO be capable of con-
ls with ease five hundred ships; but the
row, az winch leads to it, though deep, is so
itato uo' more than one vessel can pass through
Are i'e Its capabilities, therefore, for defence
mairIa' great Lying within few miles of the
tsnt f. ., Honduras, and but eight leagues dis
nos;tio, we Mosquito shore, Ruatan occupies a
non,,o on WINCH in the hands of an enterprising
Spaniob would make it, in the language of a
Co.,, ".i'er, the focus of the trade of the
Int also ';4l e0untries' With the frankness
u' "l'o WIN The indiscretion Of q soilor canta;n
mitchell OF the British Navy has noted tbe fact
Una, ,'0 proximity to Central America and snan-
ish Honduras seems to point it ont ' anu opan-
pot for English goods and mapufaot,rd So ue-
they would find ready market even, - "here
significantly opposition to any duties raoD
con them" In other words, Ruatan is CO..; CO.
place for carrying on the traffic of smuggling on :
grand scale with the mainland. 1t is not At oil
improbable that the merchants of Ruatan NAV
have already improved upon the hint which was
thus gratuitously furnished them some ten years
ago. That the inhabitants of the Island are quite
content to remain as they are, and that they are
vehementy opposed to submitting to the rule Of
Honduras, is perfectly evident. For some time
past they have been profuse in their invitations to
Americans to come and settle on the Island, and
almost every schooner that leaves the South
ern ports for the Bay of Honduras takes out
some emigrants to Rustan. 1t is easy