New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-10
TUF BRITISU ~ NICIRIG I i.

The British invasion Of Nicaragua. when
Secretary Gresham regards as IN affair OF
trivial importance. will be justified on the
,.round that the treaty Of 1850 guaranteed the
autonomy of the Mosquito Reservation. The
marines were landed from the Cleopatra at
Elucticlds because NcaraglIan military forces
were ON the ground and the Independence or
the Territorial Government was meha'"'.
cr,,t britain assumes 10 be the guardian or
thc Reservation under the Treaty Of Managla.
THE Empcror Of Austria rs arbitrator has de-
cidcd that the treaty invests Nicaragua win
,ou,inol sovcrcignty over the Mosquito sea
board. so that it can hoist its flag there ana
employ a resident commissioner To secure pro-
lection Of its rights: but that it cannot inter
fcrc with local government or Ie@lSla'lon' nor
fax exports or imports. nor regulate iii" trade
Of The Reservation Under the Treaty OF Ma
racuo and the Empcrurs award the Mosquito
Indians. or rather their masters. IN" Jamaica
negroes. have a larger measure of home rule
Than either Mr. Gladstone or Mr.. Parnrll ever
soucht f. obtain for ireland. II is this au-
tonomv Of the Reservation which the marines
from IN. Cleopatra are defending by armed
force at Ruciicld>
This autonomy Is mcnaccd not only by the
presence OF Nlt1laHUtU >blIl'iN' '"' "'T' ~
iniriancs over the succession 10 the leadership
of the local government since lN'" 'h' MOS
mIito kings have been known rs chiefs, and
they have been nominally elected. IN" NOR
tollty among them has been very high owing 10
their intcmpcraucc. and also 10 intrlg'i'S Tor
ur,,uring their assassination. In 1850. when
chief Clarence suddenly died under suspicious
circumstances a conspiracy was formed for en-
aiding Nicaragua 10 TAX" possession 81 W" h'S-
creation and to establish lis own customs line.
II WAS ihwarcd 10y the election OF 'hl"t li'huF.
I'm lSSo there was another Spanish intrigue in
the interest Of Il creole. and III" occupation OF
HmclcldS was planned; but chief lirhdy re-
maincd in power until lNSS. when he died either
from continuous tipplng or from poison HIS
successor died during the following year. Ihch
Jonathan Charles Frederick was elected chl'i'
and h. died In November. 1880 under myst"rl-
ous circumstances Early In 1891 Robert car
cncr WAS elected chief when In his nineteenth
wear. What has happened 10 him III" lsthlnuS
accounts do not make clear. but he has 'lth'r
been assasSiuaicd or has mysi"riouSly diSap-
ucarcd I'm the great forest II Is In this crisis
II the Reservations affairs, brought about 10y
SpauiSh intrigue against the chief aud The I'M
.ypectcd appcaraucc ~ a Nicaraguan garrison,
that the Clcoparra's men have been landed.
The chiefs main function Is 10 serve aS
ligurchrad for the Reservation. All real power
* In the hands Of full bloodcd negroes and
few British subjects in Bluch"ldS There mr."
several thousands Of Indians of three allied
tribes scattered among the lagOOns and forests.
and the chief nomnally represents the rights
Of these natives; but. like all the Mosquito
kings who have preceded him. the chief in
varaby is addicted 10 intompcrancc. and ccle-
bratcs his short reign 10y remaining royalty
drunk while the jamaica negroes administer
the Government Home rule under British
auspices IS roaring farce with one serious clc-
mcni The Moravian Church has established
mission stations throughout The Reservation
accomplished good work 81 native evangelical
ton. ard converted the district into a hotbcd
Of protcstaniSm. The surrender OF the Rcser
walton 10 Nicaragua would he followed by re-
lieiouS rs well n civil war The cyctablc
blacks in Blucfclds would be likely TO burn the
town rather than 10 have it fall under Spanish
domination.
The British Foreign Office will probably make
ont plausible case in justification Of the land
Ing OF marines at Blueiieds. and will express
a strong desire 10 be relieved from its respon-
sbltics on the Mosquito seaboard. That was
Lord SasburyS tone when Secretary Bayard
discussed the anomalies Of The situation in lSSS.
But the essential point upon which the state
Department ought TO lay stress Is the fact that
the British protcctorate, or guardianship, or
which the landing Of marines at Bluctiells Is a
convincing proof invaldacs the Clayton-Bul-
wcr treaty 1t cannot be denied that Great
Britain stands between Nicaragua and the
Reservation, and supports local government
which Is controlled by jamaica negroes. These
are not the conditions for which Mr.. Clayton
bargaincd when he was cntrapped into that
wrctchcd diplomatic trayesty, the Canal Con
vcntion of 1870. The invasion Of Bluetields
offers an opportunity for the abrogaion of the
CLAYTON -Buwer convention with its dual pro-
icctorate over the Nicaragua Canal