New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-26
CHESTNTTS IN TIE FIRE.

Tho apncarancc of the Blake nj Bluciieds To
relieve the Cleopatra indicates the determine
tion IF the British Government 10 prolonS us
intervention in the affairs of Central America
While the Nicaraguan troops have been with
drawn from the town. either at the request or
upon the demand Of the British naval officers,
fine commander of the invading column re-
mains on the ground and can summon rem
forccmcnts from Rama. short distance above
Rucdclds whenever he chooses 10 do 80. The
ncrmaucnt occupation Of the town and OF the
Mosouito Reservation can only be prevented
by the continued presence of British menofwar
outside the lagoon and permanent intervention
I'm Central American affairs. The Ni'araguan
Government covcts the Reservation. and counts
upon diplomatic assistance from the United
States In accomplishing lis purpose.
The situation may be- briefly explained: Mica
ropua has covcnantcd in the treaty of Nanagua
10 allow the Reservation to govern Itself That
was the condition under which Great Britain
renowned Il protcctoratc over the Mosquito
Indians Nicaragua violated this condition
when II sent an armed force 10 Bluciields. pro-
claimed martial law and suspended the func-
tions Of all the local officials. Great Britain
has virtually resumed its protcctoratc by inter
ycninc with armed force at BuchcldS. Nicara-
eua cannot resist British invasion, nor can II
deny that its own pledges made in the treaty
of Managua have been rcpudia;cd; lnt 1t as
sumes that the United States Government viii
moi remain a passive and dsintcrcstol spccta-
for when the Monroe Doctrine j. openly chal-
Icngcd by Great Britain. That assumption
would be entirely safe If Mr.. Cleveland were
not President. with Mr. Gresham rs his See
rotary Of State As il il. both the President
and Secretary Gresham will probably allow
| Lord Kimberley TO pull the wool over their
eyes.
| 1t is true that the Clayton-Bllwcr treaty
| directly prohibits everything which the British
! naval officers have done ut Buclicl1s. But 1t
IS not desirable that the State Department
should reanimatc that nearly cXtiDt conycn-
ton That convention was stupcnlOus diplo-
matte blundcr when it was ncgotacd by Mr..
| CLAYTON. and so long as ii remains with any
| scmblancc Of authority il will be IN unccasing
source Of embarrassment 10 the United States
| Government, especially il the Nicaragua Canal
! project b. seriously undertaken. What Il
| broad minded American Secretary OF State
would be certain to do in the present clrcum-
stances Is apparent. The British Government
would receive prompt notice Of the abrogation
of the CLAYTON Bulwer convention in consc-
uuencc of the invasion Of Bucficlds and the
! exercise Of Il protcctoratc over tie Rcscrva-
ton in defiance OF treaty stipulatiOns. Cnfor-
tunatcly Mr. Gresham Is an American Sccre-
| tary Of State only in name
Nicaragua has rcpudiated pledges made to
! Great Britain in n treaty. Great Britain, in
enforcing those pledges, has practically vo-
lated the conditions under which the Joint
| pro,oc.or,t. nf the Nicaragua Canal was eS-
| tablishcd in the Clayton-Buwcr treaty. Ncara-
qua expects the United States to pull her chest
nuts out Of the fire by rcscnting British inter
vention in Central American affairs. The Clay
| ton Bulwcr treaty Is Il very old and worm
| eaten chestnut, which is not worth saving but
ought to be burned and utterly destroyed.