The Portland daily press., 1894-11-29
Over the Banishment Of Vice Consul
Hatch,
BY NICARAGUA. FOR INCITING A
REBELLION.
The United States Will Act as Peace Maker
but at the Same Time will Have a
Powerful Fleet on the Scene-Much
Interest is Felt in Official Circles.

Washington, November 28.-It is un-
derstood that today's dispatches from
Am mbassadorr Bayard show that behind
Great Britains refusal to apl rove the
new Nicaraguan government at Blue
fields the Punishment of British Consul
Hatch plays a somewhat prominentspart.
In the earlier conflicts between the Mic
araguans and Mosquitoes, commencing
last February, Great Britain and the
United States succeeded in preventing
excessive measures. While this country,
with England, was restraining Nicara-
qua, the inhabitants of the Mosquito
territory, under Chief Clarence, over
threw the temporary Niearaguan militia
ry rule. At that moment the United
States was recognizing the full sover-
eighty of Nicaragua over the Mosquito
terri tory in terms more explicit than had
hitherto been used in negotiations,
based on.the CIaytoa-Bulwer treaty. Gen.
Barrios had been received by Eng
land as the Nicaraguan envoy largely
upon the representations of The United
States 20 negotiate convention which
would place Great Britain in an attitude
Similar TO Gub OHlteu Clat0S. NlGdfd
qua crushed out the Clarence rebellion
BY drastic measures, and Clarence and
many of his supporters fed, and others,
including several Americans and Eng
lshmen, were arrested ana banished.
While the legality of that action was
never impeached, the United States le-
gretted the proceedings. as lt.was calcu-
. lated to EN- barrass the negotiations,
which would practically abrogate the
IT, D,,Ixx Ln ,uta
oners banished was British Vice Consul
Hatch, who had not been recognized by
Nicaragua, and jas. Lampton and E. D..
Wilbank, Americans. these three men
were active participants In the rebellion.
hampton and Wilbank have since been
pardoned and permitted to return to
Bluefelds. 1t is understood the Mica
raguans are unaffected by the repeated
and persistent efforts of the British
minister to extend pardon to Hatch.
This is one of the real causes of Great
Bri5ain's present attitude. Mr.. Hatch
owned property at Bluefelds, which was
confiscated. A question OF the right OF
Nicaragua to refuse to recognize Mr..
Hatch as consular officer is said to be
involved.
United States Minister Baker has been
instructed to exercise MS good offices in
inducing the government at Managua to
restore, Mr.. Hatch's belongings and rec
ognize HIM as vice consul, with the as
surance that the United States will use
every proper effort to prevent future
successful resistance to Nicaraguan sov-
ereignty at Bluefelds. Great Britain
meanwhile is to give an implied guaran-
tee that Mr.. Hatch will not be active iu
any further conspiracy to restore the
rule of Clarence. The United States
could we'll undertake this responsibility
on account of thesinterests she had at
stake in securingss successful accom-
plishment. of thel Barrios mission in Eng
laud, which could Hot fail to result i'll
giving the United States an incontesti-
bic title.to the inter-oceanic canal, that
might be puilt over the Lake Nicaragua
route. Secretary Gresham is confident
that serious trouble will be averIed.
Nevertheless the United States has been
preparing for emergencies.
The British North Atlantic fleet con-
sists of ten vessels. OF these the Blake is
the only one of considerable fighting
power. She was, last accounts, at Hal
flax, with several other vessels. Two
small British cruisers are in the Bermu-
das. 1t is the custom of the British
feet to rendezvous in the West Indies
every winter. During the present wiz
ter it is announced sthat the policy ssot
the Cnted States will be to maintain a
fleet of superior strength in the same
waters.