The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-28


Isartsns.s2l etiquette.
Il was said a. the embassy that Sir
julian pa8ncefets. the British azrttSs sSs
dor. had not rescezvsa3 confirmation from
tae foreign Office % shss British cccupa-
tscn az CorInta NJ 20 thu cicse ~ the
ern oAzssy at 3 O'Clock The embassy did
not expect information from Issn1on. as
q Is said the foreASz1 offsce has NJ occs-
sion 10 comm sasca1e with the British
representative ~ Washington CITY.
There can be no dos5t that the action
% the Nicaragnan government in deciaF-
sng COrint0 "a closed port has seriously
complicated the most troublesome dueS-
tion. and. even IL there IS no resort %
h0sUlities AZ present. Il opens a prospect
oE alarming events 81 the future. watch
may. and In fact are. regarded as likely
10 involve the United States diractiy in
the affair, IN spite of the earnest aisno-
si1ion O. the administration 20 avoid the
entangiement. The action means that no
goods can now Ae entered az Corinto, a
port which has heretofore received over
half OF the imports snto the country. with
out violating the national law Of Near
aqua The British may collect duty Il
any goods enter the place. bat the latter
would he liable TO seizure the moment
they crossed the British lines into tac in
terior. They must do this to fnd a mar
ket, for the coast, being unhealthy. Is
thinly populated and the great ccnsum-
Ing class OF the population lives in the
interior.
The first effect OF the decree. closing the
port. therefore. viii probably be 20 di-
VERT nearly al. Il not the entire. import
trade al the place to San Juan del sur.
or perhaps Realato. seaport near by, for
* is improbable that many merchants
viii take the chances Of getting their
goods into Nicaragua through the Brit
ish lines under the circumstances. In this
case. the length Of the stay of the British
al Corinto is problemaiic. conditional. AS
II Is. upon collecting enough revenue
from customs 10 make good the indem-
nifty demanded.
But another consideration arises at this
point. for our government has been as
sured that the occupation will not he per
msnent, and. indeed. the first paragraph
of the Clayton B1Tiwer treaty expressly
Pledges Great Britain against any occu-
patton of Nicarasglan territory. SO the
problem viii arise how TO collect the in
demnity within a reasonable time. This
may oe settled summarily by simply ex-
tending the occupation and hlockading
beyond Corinto so as to include all OF
the Pacific ports OF Nicaragua. From the
disposition shown by the NiraraEuans at
present. this can he done only by force.
and is likely to add very largely TO the
Indemnity. which items will surely be
added by the British to the original sum-
This course, moreover. will seriously
embarrass the commerce OF the United
states, and on this point Great Britain
has given Secretary Gresham certain as
surances OF the manner In which the Brit
iSh may be sure Of attaining their ends
by prompt declaration OF war and an
INVASION or Nicaragua, involving the cap
ture OF the capital, Managua. aud the i'm
position upon the Nicaraguans OF the
British terms as the price of peace. II
may be that the British government will
be driven TO the latter course in the inter-
est of trade. our own as well as that of
her own merchants. which she IS bound
10 safeguard. 1t goods entered at Cor
into after payment of duty 10 the British
occupants should be seized In the inter
ior, the owners. British or American.
would have every claim for roparation,
the only question is as to whose duty il
would be to secure this. whether the
United States would feel bound 10 inter
vene IN the case OF an American mer-
chant i'm such case. and therein lies one
OF the factors which may involve our
country directly tn the dispute II has
been asserted as hard and fast rule of
International law that duties canalot ne
twice collected, and our own government
has taken an advanced position on this
question. At one time. when the diplo-
matte relations between Great Britain
and Mexico were interrupted. and revo-
lutionary movement was In progress in
the latter country. a British ship entering
one of the revolutionary ports Of Mexico
paid duties upon her goods to the hnsur-
gents. Afterward the Mexican govern
ment again assessed the duties upon the
same goods. holding that the insurgents
had no authority TO make the first collec-
-
British minister, Sir Edward Thornton.
appealed TO our country. Great Britain
having no representative in Mexico. TO
secure the release OF the goods from this
imposition. We acted promptly and
obliged the Mexicans 10 release the goods
and to acknowledge the principle that the
duties cannot lie twice levied. This case
differs In many important features from
the present one. the closure OF Corinto.
and II is difficult TO ascertain the appiica-
tfon OF International law In this case al
though the general broad principle would
seem 20 be similar.
II is understood here that Commander
Trench. Of the Royal Arthur has been
constituted military governor of Corinto.
The fact that the cable advices do not
speak Of trouble is accepted as showing
that the landing of the British forces
was peaceabie and unopposed. Reports
yesterday Indicated that 5000 Nicars.guan
troops had been concentrated at Corfnto.
and that forces from Honduras were ox-
pected but the fact that all the Me
araguan authorities withdrew. leaving
the British complete masters Of the situa-
ton. indicates that the local soldery
were not called upon. The understanding
among the officials for several days has
been that armed resistance would be
useless.
The report that the Central American
states would unite 70 help Nicaragua
make a military defense has never been
seriously entertained by officials here. as
they said the countries united could not
present an armed force worthy OF men
ton alongside the British forces
Colon. April 2T-Information has
reached here from Corinto that the Brit
fsh warshIps have been 80 stationed n.
10 be ready TO lombard the town should
the %icaraguan force. which retreated
across the lagoon 20 the mainland on
occupation Of the place by the British.
attempt 70 interfere with the movements
Of the landing party. Corinto Is almost
deserted. As X Is. hombardment Is mo-
mentariiy expected.
Colon April 1.-THE NicaraRuan gov
errment, IN view OF the occupation or
Cortnfo ny the British forces under AH-
rniral Stephenson, for the purpose of col
lectinR customs revenues az that port TO
sa tisfy the demands ~ Great Britain for
an indemnity for the expulsion OF Consul
Hatch and other British subjects from
Rlueaelda. has decreea the closing of The
port. on account Of this action OF the
government the Panama Railway Com
pany has issued notice 70 the agents of
me various stsa Tshlp lines whose ves-
sells run 20 the isfhmus. notifying them
of the close of Corinto. IN order that they
may take the necessary action 90 protect
freight and passengers eu route 20 Cor
into.