New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-17
THE NICARAGCAN QUESTION.

II is NOT inst 10 impute bad faith 10 Great Brit
ain in insisting upon having an indemnity FOR
tho IMPRISONMENT Of Mr.. Hatch and other Eng
lIshmen in Nicaragua. Every civilized State pro-
.ect, It's citizens abroad and secures redress for
their niuries Mr. Hatch was an official repre-
sentative of the British Government. and the IN
dirnities which he suffered could not be passed
over in silence. Reparation has been demanded,
and Nicaragua Is reported 10 have agreed to con
sent to an arbitration Of all outstanding claims
for damages for the arrest Of British subjects
This is a reasonable proposition and ought to be
acceptcd Both Governments have acted proper
IL In this matter. Great Britain was justified in
obtaining rcparation for the wrongs OF us sun
,cc,s. and Nicaragua could we'll afford to settle
the account The Mosquito Reservation IS wen
worth larger indemnity than the Managua Gov
ernmcnt will be- called upon To pay for II.
With these financial claims virtually settled
the British Government will be- deprived or any
further pr,tcxt for Withholding its approval "i
the new state ~ affairs In the Reservation
Nicaragua has obtained during the last TWO
wears complete control over lis Caribbean sea
hoard Formerly its sovereignty was noinlhal,
and n was powerlcss either 10 conduct the al
ministr,iou. or 10 establish "A customs line. or 10
enact laws for the Reservation. The Caribbean
scoho,rd WAS Nlcaraguan only In name. and was
Of no value - the Manag1a Government Tor reN'-
mo PURPOSES II Great Britain accepts the new
situation. its treaty with Nicaragua VIII De
,ir,u,llv cancelled and The Indians Of the
Reservation viii cease 10 enjoy the privilege oil
home rule British claims. which were never
we'll founded. will he renowned. and Il dlplo
matte question Of long standing VIII be settled
ON the lines ~ the Monroe Doctrine.
This solution ~ a troublesome problem VIII
promote the ends ~ civilization. The Caribbean
scoboard from Cape Gracias 10 Greytown is an
undcvclopcd forest region OF great naturai
wealth The beds Of the northern streams con
tain gold: the finest mahogany Of the tropics II
found I'm the camps on Great River; rubber trees
abound I'm the forests and the cleared land Is me
hest banana tract In Central America. The con
struciion Of railways from Lake Nicaragua 10
the coast will open one Of the most fertile ana
hool,hful regions of the tropical belt. These re-
sults were impracticablc So hong n the scahoard
was Governed by Jamaica negroes in the interest
of four thousand degraded Indians in the back
woods The British treaties with Nicaragua
var. not only I'm conlravcntion Of the Monroe
| p,ctriu. but they were also IN nSurmountablc
/ obstacle. TO the settlement and progress Of the
country. Under what was virtually British
nrotectoratc the most anomalous conditions or
Government prevailed for the benefit Of a few
! thousands Of natives Of a nondescript Afro
| Indian breed.
The State Department VIII have TO watch thlS
dinlomatic question closely. British intrigucs
! bove prevailed for II long time in that quarter Of
the world. and American diplomats,s have been
,,,I .l,,,.Al Th. yanN
mcnt Of the indemnity and the settlement OF the
other financial claims by Nicaragua will leave
the British Foreign Office no reasonable excuse
for dcfcrring action on the main question OF the
administration Of the Mosquito Reservation 1t
ought TO sanction chccrfully and unequ!vocally
the new arrangements.