Evening star., 1895-04-25

d
military control of Corinto. by occupying
the custom house and other government
buildings, and appointing Capt. Frederick
Percival French of the Royal Arthur gov
ernor of the port.
1.-THE lives, private property and trade of
all foreigners will be respected. In the
event of any resistance or disturbances
arising. shall use the force at my disposal
to maintain order.
"A copy of the accompanying proclama-
ton will be issued to each official in Cor
into, both Nicaraguan and foreign. on my
taking possession of the place."
Admiral Stephcnson's Proclamation.
The proclamation referred to says:
whereas, the Nicaraguan government
having uniawfully seized the person of her
Britannia majesty's vice consul, at Blue
fields. together with some twenty British
aqua, or exrelled them from Nicaraguan
territory. I have, in Consequence, received
orders from her majesty's government to
occupy the town of Corinto and seize all
vessels carrying the Nicaraguan flag, and
mold the same until such time as the Nc
araguan government has complied with the
demands of the British government.
BE 1t known that during the occupation
of Corinto the lives. private property and
trade of all foreigners will be respected,
and the force now landed will occupy only
government buildings. In the event of any
resistance or disturbance arising, l shall
posal to maintain order. 1 have constituted
Capt. Frederick Percival French of the
Royal Arthur governor of the port.
III. L. STEPHENSON, Rear Admiral"
American Vessels ut Hand.
The steamer Colina, which has arrived in
Corinto, reports that she met a fleet Of
four American warships on the way to
Corinto. This news is very gratifying to
the Nicaraguan government, which, with
the Nicaraguan people, hopes the presence
OF the United States vessels will relieve the
country from the humiliation threatened by
Great Britain.
Description of Corinto.
Corinto, the center of interest in Nicar-
aqua at present, is the best port of the
Central American states on the Pacific
coast. 1t is most important to Nicaragua
as 1t is the terminus of the line of the Gen.
trail railroad. 1t is very old place and
was formerly called Raelejo. This was one
Of the best Spanish-American harbors in
the old days. but it is becoming filed up.
and Is now somewhat smaller as to anchor
age. There is no difficulty, however, in the
entrance, and there is depth of eighteen
feet of water in the harbor at low tide
Between the island of Carbon and the
point of Castanones there Is dangerous
bar. The port of San Juan del Sur has a
harbor Of average size, and there Is suffi-
ciently good anchorage 1t is filling with
ing choked, making shipping more difficult
San Juan del Sur is in communication with
Lake Nicaragua by macadam road built
by the New York and California Transit
Company.
The Heaviest Import Point.
Corinto Is the heaviest import point in
Nicaragua. The imports there for 1S91-'92
were S6O06,S05, while all imports to other
points did not exceed 100000. It is evident
from this why the British chose Corinto
for their stroke. Almost one-half of the
imports at Corinto are from Great Britain,
so that the British seizure of the custom
houses will result IN their receiving the
customs dues from British merchant ships.
The British imports for 1S91-'92 were 81
49,, Col; those Of the United States came
France, $99S,1A The rest of the import
trade was with neighboring South and Cen
trail American countries. The imports of
San Juan del Sur were S13aS2O. AS the
Corinto imports average about $5OO,OO0
monthly, it would not take long for Great
demanded. The tariff rates of Nicaragua
are such that the s6,O0GSO5 of imports in
1891 yielded $1O5S,913 in customs duties.
Most of this was collected at Corinto. At
this rate the receipts at Corinto would
reach $4,000 within thirty days, unless
commerce was diverted to other ports.
1t is a significant fact that the largest
part OF Nicaragua's foreign debt is repre-
sented by bonds held in London, and pay
able there in 1919. This foreign debt ag-
gregates $2,1O5,227. The London holders
have thus far received their interest on the
aqua is crippled by the seizure OF her Gus
toms receipts it may react by failure to
meet the interest on the bonds held in
London.