The Delta independent., 1895-05-01
THE BRITISH LANDED.
NOW OCCUPYING CORINTO.
SicaraSuans Abandon tho Town, and the
Govern mcnt Announces That tho Port
Is Closed to Imports.

Washington. April 29.-The events
of the day in diplomatic circles here
were the landing of the British troops
at Corinto, the abandonment of the
Town by native officials and the popu-
latiOn and the shrcwd move of the Nj
caraguans in declaring Corinto a closed
port The first news of the events
came in the afternoon to DR.. Guzmau.
the Nicaraguan minister.
The first cablegram stated that the
British troops had landed at Corinto.
and that the British flag was flying over
ihr town. which had been deserted by
HE Nicaraguan officials and the native
inhabitants
The second 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 communicate with their home gov
rrnment except by sending Il boat to
The cable station. The main body of
the Nicaraguans who had abandoned
turintO had crossed a lagoon which sep
aratcS the town from the main land and
had strongly cntrenched themselves.
The first effect of the decree closing
the port therefore. will probably be to
divert nearly all, If not the entire I'M
port trade of the place to San Juan Del
Sur or perhaps Realaja. Il seaport near
by. for it is improbable that many mer-
chants will take the chances of getting
their goods in Nicaragua through tho
British lines under the circumstances.
In this case the length of the stay of
the British at Corinto is problematical,
conditional as it is upon collecting
enough revenue from customs to make
good the indemnity demanded. But an
other consideration arises at this point,
for our government has been assured
that the occupation will not be perma-
ncnt and indeed the first paragraph of
the Clayton Bulwer treaty expressly
pledges Great Britain against any o.
cupation of Nicaraguan territory. So
the problem will arise, how to collect
the indemnity within reasonable time
This may be settled summarily by sim
ply extending the occupation and
blockade beyond COrinto, so as to in
clude all of the Pacific ports of Nicara-
qua. From the disposition shown by
the NicaraguaS at present this can be
done only by force and is likely to add
very largely to the expenses incurred in
tne cOllectlOn OF Ine indemnify, WHICH
items will surely be added by the Brit
ish to the original sum.
There Is some difference of opinion
here as to whether the declaration of
Nicaragua that Corinto was n closed
port. will be recognized. 1t is plainly
within the power Of any country to
close a port in time of peace, and Sen
ator Morgan yesterday expressed the
opinion that in this way Nicaragua
would prevent England from collecting
the revenue. but this country has al
ways maintained, and in this we have
been sustained by international custom,
that in order to close port an effective
blockade must be sustained. England
insisted upon this when the United
States declared the Confederate ports
closed during the war.
The British position is said to be very
bad from n strategic standpoint. The
town is practically on an island, being
separated from the mainland by a
stretch of marshy ground. This is
traversed with 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 Nicara
guam troops will make a stand against
further cncroachmcnts.