The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-28
Nicaraguans Retreat From
Corinto
The British Now Hold the Little
Town
FLED TO THE MAINLAND
Uncle Sam Is Expected to Take Some
Positive Action
When the Town Was Evacuated the Officials
Fired the Bridge Connecting the Island
With the Mainland and the Eng
Iish Are High and Dry

WASHINGTON, April 27.-The events
If the day in diplomatic circles here were
the landing of the British troops at Co.
rinto, the abandonment of the town by
the native officials and the population
and the shrewd move of the Nicaraguans
in declaring Corinto closed port.
The first news Of the event came in the
afternoon. DR.. Guzman had been walt
ing for several hours at the state depart
ment to see Secretary Gresham. He
was in fever of anxiety and III the
absence of news from his own govern
M ent came tol earn what the department
had received as to the British movements
at Corinto He was unable to see the sec
rotary this morning, as Mr.. Gresham
had been suffering from a severe toothache
and was obliged to spend some time in
a dentists chair.
At noon the minister returned to his
home for luncheon and found there two
kilograms from his government forwarded
from San Juan del Sur. the Nicaraguan
cable port about 125 miles south OF Co.
rinto.
The first cablegram stated that the
British troops landed at CorInto and that
the British flag was flying over the town,
which had been deserted by the Mica
raguan officials and the native inhab-
tants. The Sc cond cablegram showed
that the authorities had gone to San Juan
del Sur, cutting the wires connecting the
cable port with Corinto SO that the British
forces at the latter place could not COM
municate with their home government
eAcept by sending boat to the cable sta
tion.
The main body of the Nicaraguans who
had abandoned Corinto had crossed a
lagoon which separates the town from the
mainland and had stongly entrenched
themselves. This information was prompt
ly communicated to the state department.
DIR. 6unman, who has been in ill health
and has suffered so much from the nerv-
Gus strain of the last few weeks as to be
obliged to take to his bed this afternoon,
would not do so until he had gone
through the rain to see Secretary Gresh-
am and officially communicate the sub
stance of hisc kilograms to him.
The news, it was apparent, was not ex-
pected by the state department, which
had ever believed that the Nicaraguans
would go to the length of permitting the
occupation of Corinto in preference to
paying the indemnity. that the only
ifficulty in the way of a speedy settle
ment OF the trouble was that arising from
the trouble experienced by the Mica
raguan government in raising the money
hastily and that the. British admiral
would bel indulgent on This point when
only satisfied 'of the disposition of The
Nicaraguans to comply with the terms of
the ultimatum otherwise. had never been
doubted by the department.
For this reason the first reports Of the
occupation of Corinto received at the de-
partment from unofficial sources were dis
credited and doubts as to their accuracy
we're expressed. The secretary had been
unable to obtain any definite information
form his own agents as to the action of
the British probably for the reason that
Mr.. Baker. our minister to Nicaragua is
not at present in that country, nd there
is no charge d'affaires at Managua. There
is consular agent at Corinto. Henry
Palazio, but he is no: an American and
could scarcely be relied upon in matter
of this kind to keep the departments in
formed in the absence of express orders.
The situation at Corinto is now regarded
as ominous of serious trouble, for the dis
patches indicate that the Nicaraguans
are disposed to resist any further advance
by the British.
The information reaching here is to the
eeffct that the Nicaraguans may further
isolate the British at Corinto by burning
the bridges across the lagoon separating
the town from the mainland. The Brit
ish position is said to be very bad from a
strategic standpoint.
The town is practically on an island,
being further separated from the main
land by stretch OF marshy ground.
This is taversed by bridges and without
them Corinto is cut off from the ~shore.
The Nicaraguans have retired to the
shore end of the bridges and those well
Informed on the situation believe that if
the British make any movement to cross
the lagoon the bridges will be burned and
the little band of Nicaraguan troops will
make stand against further encroach-
ments. The British are evidently appre-
hensve of trouble on this score. as indi-
Gated by the cablegrams from Colon show
ing that the three vessels. the Royal
Arthur, the Wild Swan and the Satellite
have been so placed as to command the
town with their guns. 1t is probable
that this disposition has been made so as
to insure the occupying forces, number
ing about 400 armed men, from an attack
from the Nicaraguans, rather than with
any deliberate purpose of bonn mbarding
the town, for there is no evidence that
the British desire to advance into the in
terror at present and it is certainly not a
part OF the original programme of opera
tons as made known to our government
to lombard the place. The news of the
situation at Corinto created commoton
here and particularly at the state depart
ment.
Sir Julian Pauncefote. the British am
.bassador. came to the department and
after remaining in private consultation
with Secretary Gresham for short time