Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-28

pying forces numbering 400 armed men
from an attack by the Nicaraguans
rather than with any deliberate pur-
pose OF bombnrdlng the town, for there
Is no evidence that the British desire
10 enter into the interior at present and
Il was certainly not part OF the origi-
nal program OF operations ms made
known TO our government TO lombard
the place.
The news Of the situation at Corinto
created a commotion here particularly
in the state department.
Sir Julian PaunecfOte. the British
ambassador, came to the department
and after remaining In private con-
sultation with Secretary Gresham for
short time, the two repaired 70 the
war department to consult with Sec
rotary Lamont. The latter was absent
at the time but coming In later re-
paired Immediately TO the state de-
partment and talked over matters with
the officials Later on the news came
to the department through the As
ISOLATED Press from Colon that the
NlcaraEuan government had made
sharp move by declaring Corinto
closed port This was evidently q dis
turhlng element In the calculations. for
assistant Secretary tthl was at once
! dispatched to the British embassy TO
confer with Sir Julian PAuncefotc. n
most unusual proceeding In depart
mental etiquette II was snid NJ the
! embassy that Sir Julian pauncefote
| the British ambassador had not re-
celved conformation from the foreign
office Of the British occupation Of
! Clrinto IN 20 the close or the embassy
| at o'clock The embassy dld not ex-
poet direct information from London
ms II Is said the foreign Office has no
| occasion TO communicate with the
British legation at Washington There
| can be no doubt that the action OF tho
| NicnrnEuans In declaring Corinto
closed port has seriously complicated
this most troublesome question, even
n there In no resort TO hostllitlcs at
| present II opens q prospect for alarm-
/ Ing events IN the future which may,
/ and In fact Rrc oven regarded as likely
| To involve the United states directly
/ In the affair In spite OF the earnest dis
| posltion Of the administration TO avoid
| thc ENHANCEMENT. The action means
| that no goods can now he entered at
| Coriuto port which has heretofore
received over hnlf Of tho imports into
the country without violating tho
/ national law OF Nicaragua, The Brit
| lsh may collect duties Of any goods that
/ enter the place but tho latter would be
! liable to Seizure the moment they
crossed the British line into the interior.
| They must do this to find q market
.
| populated and the great consuming
! clars Of the population llVcH In the In
| terror. The first effect Of the decree
| closing the port therefore probably
VIII he to divert nearly NIL n not tho
entire Import trade OF the place TO
! San Junn del Sur, perhaps Rcalaio, It
| seaport nearby for II " Improbable
| that many merchants win take tho
| chances OF Fottlng their goods into
| Nicaragua through the British lines
under the circumstances. The stay Of
| the British Is therefore problcmnlicnl,
conditioned on collecting England
revenue from customs To make good the
| indemnity demanded but another
| consideration arises at this point. for
our government has becu assured that
! the occupation IL not permanent; and,
| indeed the FIRST paragraph OF the
| Hulwer-Clayton treaty expressly
| pledges Great Britain against any oocu-
! patton Of Nicnraguan territory. So
! the problem VIII arise how 10 collect
| the indemnity within reasonable time
/ This mny be settled Hummurily by
| simply extending the occupation and
| blockade beyond Corlnto so MS to In
| clude all OF the Pacific ports OF Nlcn-
ragua
From the disposition shown by the
| Niruraguans at present this can be
| done only by force. and rs likely to add
in the collection Of the indemnity.
which items win be surely added by tho
British 10 the original sum, This
course. moreover, would seriously em-
burrasa the commerce OF the United
States, and on this point Great Britain
has given Secretary Gresham certain
assurances. Another manner In which
the British may be able TO secure their
ends IL by prompt declaration of war
and an Invasion OF Nicaragua, involv-
Ing the capture OF the capital, Mana
qua, and the imposition upon the Me-
araguaps the British terms as tho
price OF peace. II may be that the
British government may be driven TO
the latter course In tho interest OF
trade, our own as well nH that OF her
own merchant ships, which she Is bound
20 safeguard. II goods entered Mt Co
rlnto, after payment of duty to the
British occupants. should be seized IN
the interior. the owners, British or
American, would have a very good
claim for rcparation. The only quea-
ti0n Ia AZ TO whose duty It would be to
secure this; whether the United States
would feel bound to Intervene IN the
case OF an American merchant In such
cases. and therein Hes one Of the fac
tors which may involve our country
directly In the dispute. II has been as
serted na hard and fast international
law that duties can not be twice coll
ltcte0s ana our own government mas
taken an advanced position on this
question. At one time when the diplo-
matte relations between Great Britain
and Mexico were interrupted and
revolutionary movement was In prog
ress In the latter country Britirh
shin entered one Of the revolutionary
ports OF Mexico and paid duty upon her
goods To thu Insurgents. AfterwHrd
the Meyloan government ngain as-
sessed duties upon the same goods
holding that these insurgents had no
authority 10 make the first collection
and refusing 10 recognize Il. The Brit
fish minister at Washington. Sir Ed
ward Thornton. appealed 10 our gov
eminent. Great Britain having no rep
resentatlve In Mexico. 10 secure the re-
lease OF the goods from this imposl-
tlnn. We acted very promptly and
Obliged Mexico to release the goods and
TO acknowledge the principle that du-
ties can not be levied twice. This case
differs in many important features from
that presented bv the closure Of Corln-
10. and II Is difficult TO ascertain the
application OF international law IN this
last Gaze. though the general broad
principle would seem TO be similar.
LUBBOCK NOTES.
Lubbock, Tex, April 27.-R. O. burns
and r. y. Wheelock. managers or the >.