New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-20
THE BLUEFlELDS INCIDENT.
o,,cp,rARy GRESHAM MAKES A REPORT
on THE CASE.

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT REPuDIATEs ALL
of A pRoTEcToRATE OVER THE NOS
QUITO RESERVATION - AMBASSADOR
p.yApp NEGOTIATING NEW
AGREEMENT.
.,.,,,oto, March 19-The President to-day
-, % the Senate the following message;
,rane,nit herewith a report from the Secretary
- gate concerning the landing or BRUSH troops
y, Rlne6e,ds Nicaragua In answer TO the resolution
:, tho Eth instant. that subject:
OF '''e IVA GROVER CLEVELAND.
Secretary Greshams report was "' 'o'''"'
To the President
The Secretary Of State to whom was reierteu d
.sn,,ion adopted in the Senate OF the United
CITES on the eth instant. requesting the President
600 inform the Senate. If 1t is not inconsistent with
lit interests whether the Government or Great
pp,.a,r has occupied Blucfe,ds or any other place
=, the MOSQUITO Reservation in the state or MICA
,oeo,a with military force. and the character ana
,rnnrth OF such force and the claim OF authority
- ,he mart of that Government so to occupy that
ooun,r,, has the honor TO submit for the Presl-
80, consideration with view 10 transmittal 10
~. senate the following report. the preparation OF
,,cb has been necessarily deferred In order TO OBJ
tain trustworthy information;
TIL s,a,e Of war which existed between Nicaragua
snd Honduras was recently terminated by the s'c-
o. -, Nicaragla During the contest It re-
rorted that Hondurean forces had taken possession
~ Cane Gracos a Dios, point on the northeastern
extremity OF Nicaragua. lying on the Caribbean sea
ahova the northern limit OF the Mosquito Reserva-
ton. and contemplated an attack thence upon Blue
colds the chief town of that reservation.
As the territorial sovereign, the Government OF
Nicaragua appears TO have dispatched troops to
Rluenelds for the defence Of that port against the
threatened attack. and proclaimed martial law IN
.hr territory A conflict OF authority ensued be-
rarf "
authorities the latter denying the right of Mica
rogua 10 OCCUPY the country set It's power above
that Of the local administration established under
the treaty of January Is. 1860 between Nicaragua
ard Great Britain.
The local authorities thereupon applied to Great
Britain and the British cruiser Cleopatra repaired
90 the scene and landed a force variousy stated
as numbering forty fifty men, Subsequently the
N,c,ras1,an and British troops appear to nave been
withdrawn.
No time was lost In directing the Ambassador OF
the United States at London TO ascertain whal nc
,on had been taken by Her British Majestys HoV-
eminent in view of this situation
dlspatch lust received from Mr. Bayard reports
an Interview held b.. him YESTERDAY win hca ier
iSri Kimberley from whom 1t was learned her
Msjesys Government had given NJ ns,ruc'luI hicn
me premises and awaiting Information. WHICH,
when received. would be fully ana instan i oVas
rnuncaied 90 the Government of the Jnlted States'
His Lordship stated that by telesr5Ni u H he
Che British Consul al Greytown had informed the
dsplacing the flag Of the MOSQUITO Indians ana
treat!ng he local authorizes and inhabitants win
ysrs 10 tbe resInts in the territory British ship
~ war hal v,s.ted B,uede.ds with the result OF re
placing the flag OF the Mosquito Indians and re
storing tranquility pending an understanding as 10
Ills Lotship positively re9firmed the des q a,
Majestys Goyelnpen and parS 2r in "a mote Se
charge dAffares at Washington. dated March !,
1889. and printed on page iGS OF the volume OF For
and averred that no protecorate over the Mosquito
Indians. in substance or form. nor anything IN me
n se Br 81 Is desired or
In View Of these explicit declarations Mr. Bayard
f. led 10 express his belief that the landing of the
British force was merely to extend safety 70 me
rnS OF des of 1osne ana 10 'VA
The loss OF the Kearsarge. while the way TO the
Of Tnited States ship Of war at the scene Of the
disturbances Another vessel. Is however proceed,
Department of State, March ls, 1874.
The orders issued by Secretary Herbert to-day
directing the New-York to proceed Immediately
TO ST. Lucia and await orders, are regarded as
significant indicating that the United States
Is determined not to leave the Mosquito country
unprotected again in the immediate future
Under ordinary circumstances that vessel would
have been hurried home as soon as she could
be spared from Rio. She is the speediest and
most formidable vessel in commission in the
Navy She will probably reach 81. Lucia as soon
as the San Francisco does. and In case OF unfavor-
able developments Bueneds can accompany
Admiral Benham on his mission.
II has been known for more than n week that
the Administration had ceased tobe alarmed about
the Mosquito situation. but Z was also known
that Ambassador Bayard had been for several
months negotiating with the British Government
for clearly defined agreement upon the ques-
tons that have bothered both countries for years
growing out OF the Clayton Buwer treaty MT
Bayard is probably more familiar with the whole
question than any one else. as II was the subject
OF much discussion when he was in the Senate
and also when he Secretary OF State Dur
ing the latter period he caused Minister Phelps
make representations to the British Prime
Minister which materially IN advance OF
the position held by any Of his predecessors ana
which provoked By the increasing Interest
taken by the United states in the Nicaragua
Canal. This. taken in connection with the refer
10 the canal In Presden, CcVelandS last
annual message to Congress. indicates the impor-
tance Of the diplomatic negotiations intrusted 10
the Ambassador and shows how comparatively
insignificant is the recent incident. II also seems
to explain why the British Government did not
take more advantage Of the absence OF United
States vessels. due to the loss OF the KearSarge,
and shows. State Department officials contend
that British officers took no action which might
be construed otherwise than heipful TO
American interests.
THE MOSQUITO COAST TROUBLE.