The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-03
A CLOSE SHAVE.
Nicaragua Barely Escaped a
Thorough Humiliation.
Ship With War Material Reached
Corinto After the British Lett.
ICopyrighted. ls05.l

MANAGUA, May lS.-If the British had
occupied Corinto a little longer than they
did, they would have been able 20 capture
British steamer, the Debay, which ar
rived there two days ago, loaded with n
full supply of modern and improved field
artillery, rifles, equipments and ammuni-
tion for about 5000 officers and soldiers OF
the Nicaraguan army, and Admiral Steph-
enson would thus have been able TO col
lect the Ella, 800 claimed by Great Britain
as an indemnity from Nicaragua without
any difficulty.
1t is considered more than likely that
Admiral Stephenson would have seized
and detained the Debay until the indem-
nifty was paid, and therefore there is a
great deal of rejoicing here at its escape,
forit would have made an admirable substi-
tute for the port and customs dues OF
Coripto, which the British admiral was
prevented from collecting by the fact that
the Nicaraguan government declared the
port closed shortly after it was occupied
by the British.
Nobody here doubts that had the British
admiral captured this supply of war ma
terial and satisfied Great Britain's claim
against Nicaragua by its sale, that the act
would have so thoroughly humiliatcd the
present government of Nicaragua as TO
have caused it's overthrow, at once, by a
revolution among the people 1t is not
doubted that Admiral Stephenson could
have taken possession Of the Delays cargo,
in spite Of the fact that the steamer was
under the British flag, as the war material
was purchased in Germany, in 1894, by the
present government of Nicaragua.
People here insist that Great Britain
was desirous of obtaining "coaling sta
ton" on the island of Corinto and an
other "cealing station" on Corn island,
near the Atlantic entrance TO the proposed
interooeanic canal through Nicaragua,
and thus Great Britain would have been
able to control both entrances of the pro-
posed canal.
Unnecessary worriment.
II is claimed by the irritated people
here that Admiral Stephenson and sew
eral of his officers, when at Corinto, on
April %, just before they took armed pos
session of that port and island, publicly
declared TO many persons, among whom
was w. T. Tisdale, United States citi-
zen and the agent for the Pacific Mail
Steamship company, that the Monroe
doctrine, so often referred TO in tho
United States press and by that people, is
a myth that the United States would not
and could not, II they desired, enforce"
and IL Is added that the British officers as
serted that the occupation of Corinto was
intended TO test the question. 1t should
be said in conclusion, however, that it has
been denied that there was any truth in
the story that the British officers made
such statements.
Mercantile and all other kinds of busi-
ness in Nicaragua appear TO have revived
TO their former activity since the evacua-
ton Of the island of Corinto by the Brit
ish, and many of the soldiers, volunteers
and enlisted men In Nicaraguas army for
defense against "a British advance into her
territory have returned to their usual oc-
cupations.
The government, however, is actively
preparing to submit to arbitration all
questions at issue between Nicaragua aud
Great Britain that have arisen out Of Mic
aragua's successful efforts in 1893 and
1894 to maintain her sovereignty over tho
Mosquito reservation.