The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-11
The Mosquito Reservation Virtually in
Control of Jamaica Negroes, ALI
British Subjects.
NICARAGUA'S RECENT COUP
Merely an Effort to Assert Her
Rightful Sovereignty.
Americans Against the Republic Be-
cause They Have Lucrative Conces-
sions from the Ruling Negroes.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, April 10.-Gen. Daniel
Macauley, ex-chief of the appointment d.
vision Of the treasury and formerly Mayor
of Indianapolis, has spent a number OF
years in Central America, and probably as
we'll understands the true situation al
Bluefields in the Mosquito reservation of
Nicaragua as any other American.
''Bluefelds," said General Macauley. els
the rich port and principal town OF the
Mosquito Reservation. With the exception
OF a narrow strip on the north next 10
Honduras, and another on the south next
to Costa Rica, this reservation comprises
the whole eastern seaboard of Nicaragua.
1t was intended as a reservation, set apart
as our Indian Territory and other Indian
reservations have been set apart. II
stretches along the coast for about 15c
miles and extends back about forty miles.
The Indians are semi-savages. and of not
a particle of Importance or influence in its
rule or benefits. They are simply the
abused and neglected victims Of the ia
maica islanders who have so long con-
trolled this valuable land under protection
of the British flag"
How did this immediate trouble come
about?' the General was asked.
Nicaragua and Honduras. 1t created no
great stir UP here. There were no cor
respondents nor special artists with the
armies This war came to an end about
two months ago. In the course of IL Hon.
duras invaded the strip of Nicaragua north
of the Mosquito reservaticd and threat
ened to fortify points therein and In the
reservation. Because of this fact and that
Mosquito of rights belongs to them, Mic
aragua promptly sent troops TO take final
and formal possession of the long disputed
territory Of the Mosquito reservation, and
at Bluefields."
did the British authorities object?"
"Yes; the British authorities, represented
sy troll the raSeally Jamaica negroes in con-
"What had they to do with it?'
Nothing, in law or decency; everything
rs the canal involved in any .way?'
"As in the ancient world all roads led
to Rome, SO in Central America, all inter-
national diffiuclties have their main spring
in the, Nicaragua canal England doesn't
want that canal built unless she can control
II as she does the Suez canal"
How did the Mosquito reservation come
into existence. and how did British sub
iects in the persons Of Jamaica negroes OBJ
tain controlling influence in its affairs?'
SOME MOSQUITO HISTORY.
1.-THE story of the Mosquito reservation
has its beginning in the last century, when
Nicaragua was a province Of Spain. Brit
ish traders from Jamaica began TO trade
with the Mosquito Indians and England
sought to regard them Independent
nation and to take them under her protec-
ton, but was compelled in the treaties of
1888 and 1856 with Spain to abandon these
assumptions and distinctly recognize the
sovereignty of Spain over that region.
When Nicaragua became independent this
sovereignty passed to her. England now
| fancyng she had only small and weak re-
public to deal with, reaSserted her assump-
uons In regard to this region, and in 1S48
seized San Juan del Norte, better
known as Greytown This reused the United
States The seizure was in violation of the
| Monroe doctrine. the town commanded the
| eastern entrance to the proposed Nicaragua
canal and had suddenly become of import
| ance because of the discovery Of gold In
| California and the consequent rush to that
| town by US and the ClaytOn-Bulwer treaty
| were among the results. In this treaty the
United States got the worst OF it. she OBJ
serving IL While England paid no attention
whatever to il whenever she could safely
| treaty was that neither the Cnite1 States
| nor Great Britain would ever occupy. fortl-
fy, coloniZe. or assume. exercise any
| dominion over NicaragI the Mosquito
| coast, or any part Of central America, and
yet witness Belize. British Hondurasi'
| Didn't England abandon the protector
| ate over the Mosquito coast?'
''She did not She continued to exercise
protectorate over that region from the
date of that treaty till 1850, nearly ten
years, when she entered into a treaty. with
established, the Mosquitoes to be allowed
to control their domestic affairs according
| to their own customs and regulations where
| these were not in any way inconsistent
| with the sovereign rights of Nicaragua In
to be TO Nicaragua what an Indian reserva-
| ton, or the Indian Territory, is TO the
| United States. Yet England continued TO
| interfere in the domestic affairs of the
| Mosquito reservation in a way that this
country wouldn't have tolerated Tor an
| instant"
| well, in 1888 Nicaragua established a
! postoffioe ct Dluefelds Immediately the
| British minister complained of this as an
| intervention in the domestic affairs OF the
| reservation. What would be thought OF a
| of a postoffice by the United States in the
| Indian Territory? And yet IL would be a
| parallel case"
How Americans in Nicaragua re-
| ceived and treated?'
''They are welcomed and treated with
| the greatest kindness and respect The
| miration for this country, and our citizens
! are as safe as regards their liberties. their
| United States"
THE MOSQUITO GOVERNMENT.
How is the Mosquito reservation gov
erned?'
"NomiraIly, by a so-called king. Really.
| by a Cabinet composed OF Jamaica negroes
| who boast that they British subjects.
sah These Jamaica negroes have been run
ming and robbing the reservation for half
| a century or more. They keep their bank
account in Jamaica and their trunks packed
| ready TO fly the country at a moments 5
| warning. They collect the revenues pay
| the king his salary. some &,OJ0 or $780,
| out of them. and divide the rest. They
| cxacted a head tax of 81 for each person
| landing at Biuefields when / was there,
! and imposed a customs duty on all articles
| landed, even on those from this country
| that are free under our treaty with Mica
| ragua Their control is a usurpation OF
| Nicaraguas sovereign rights. and both an
| insult and injury to that republic. The
| Mosquitoes are not benefited. Their reserva-
| ton Is piundered OF it's natural wealth for
| the benefit of these greedy jamaica ne
| gro adventurers. these British subjects.
| sahp"
| 'sDo you understand that Nicaragua has
| at last declared her sovereignty and taken
| possession Of the reservation
| 81 do. IL Is what she should have done
| long ago. She should never for an instant
| have yielded 10 England's claim that her
| sovereignty consisted OF hosting flag and
! then sitting supinely down. with no power
| to protect or defend IT."
but the Americans there seem to op-
pose Nicaraguas control OF the reserva-
| ton
Yes: but perhaps because they have iu-
] crative concessions from The Jamaica negrs