The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-10
The Alleged British Treaty with Hon.

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| duras.
Adyices by the steamer Atlantic, from the
Isibnius. received yesterday, affirm that Mr..
Wyke, tho successor Of Sir William Gore
Ouseiey as British representative in Central
America, had concluded convention with the
government Of Honduras, and had gone to NJ
caragua for similar adjustment of affairs with
that republic. Taken in connection with various
comments in the newspapers and givings out of
Washington correspondents the public may be
led to infer that Great Britain has followed
| up her negotiations with Guatemala lin which
she secured everything from that State to which
she ever had the audacityto setup pretensions)
| BY convention with Honduras for the rem
dition Of the Bay Islands, seized aud organized
in 1852 as colony of the British Grown. We
doubt however, If such has been the case.
| That Mr.. Wyke went to Honduras some
months ago is we'll known; but his principal
object in going there was to force on the
government of that republic the recognition
and payment of certain English claims, the
most important Of which was that known as the
Carmichael claim" which originated as fol-
lows-Mr. Carmichael, an English trader of
Belize, obtained from the Mosquito King
a grant to cut mahogany on the river
Roman, within the territorial limits of
Honduras, and where no Mosquito Indian
had ever been known to exist. In accordance
with his concession he made an establishment
on the river, and went on cutting wood for
some months without disturbance when quar-
rel arising between some of his overseers, i'm
perious half breeds from Jamaica, and the
workmen, chiefly Caribs and laboxers of the
country, the latter drove out the overseers set
| fire to the establishment, cut adrift the maho-
gany, appropriated such articles as they could
lay their hands on, and dispersed. Mr. Car
michael thereupon set up pretence that his
expulsion was done under the authority of the
government of Honduras, and demanded from
it an indemnity for his losses-a round sum of
upwards of 100000. The government of Hon.
duras explicitly disclaimed any participation
in the affair, direct or indirect and furthermore,
took the position that, as Mr.. Carmichael as
sQmed to act under Mosquito authority and on
Mosquito territory, his claim for redress must
lie against. His Mosquito Majesty"
This was some years ago; and during the in
tervening period Honduras has been sytemati-
cally bullied by the English agents in the in
fused to recognise his claim. Mr. Wyke has
been conspicuous in his menaces, and his COM
munications to the Honduras government
| have been framed on the offensive modes
left him by his great prototype, Chatield.
As we have said, Mr.. Wyke went to Hondu-
ras primarily for the purpose of forcing
through this claim and, as in his last written
communication to the government of that re-
public he threatened an enforcement at the
mouth of British cannon, 1t is not impossible
that he has compelled compliance with his
demands. But beyond that, we will venture the
assertion, he has made no treaty affecting either
the Bay Islands or the Mosquito Professionals
the only points open to negotiation in which
the United States has the least interest.
Honduras may be briefly stated. On the 26th
of August 1856, general treaty of amity and
commerce was negotiated between the two
countries by Lord Clarendon and Senior Don
Victor Herran, in London, which was ratified
in due course, and is now in full force and effect
AT the same time this treaty was signed, there
were also signed two other Conventions
lst-For the rendition of the Bay Islands to
Honduras, under certain conditions, such as
| trial by jury for its inhabitants, relief from
general taxation and military duty, except for
their own defence, and winding up with the
clause, that as slavery had never existed in
the islands, it should never be permitted" &C.
2d-Recognizing the territorial limits of Hon.
duras, as claimed by herself, and as against the
Mosquito Indians, and providing for the con-
centration of such Indians, if any should be
found to exist, within certain sufficient reser-
walton. This was to be done by joint commits
sion of the two governments, which also was
to arbitrate all claims Of British subjects on
Honduras.
Neither Of these conventions was accepted
by Honduras, and although Mr.. Wyke may
have been instructed to propose them anew,
our advices from Honduras assure us that they
would not be listened to, except with such
! wide notifications as Great Britain has repeat
eddy declared were inadmissible. We are not
discussing the wisdom of the policy of Hondu.
ras; but it has been steadily predicated upon
the absolute rendition of the Bay Islands, in
reality as well as name and we do not believe
that she has now receded from this position.
In word, we do not credit the report of a
convention with Honduras, nor the intention of
one with Nicaragua, in the sense Of restora-
| ton Of the Bay Islands or the abandonment of
the Mosquito Protectorate. Nor do we believe
that any treaty whatever has been concluded
in Central America by Great Britain, except
the secret and underhand capitulation made by
Guatemala on the 30th of April last.
In refusing to accept the Clarendon Dallas
treaty, as amended by the Senate OF the
| United States which cOmprehended a plan of