The state herald., 1895-05-03
THE BRITISH LANDED.
NOW ooovpYlNo coRlNro.
Niearssaaas Abandon the Town, and the
0evsrnAsAs Aanouness That the Port
Il Closed 70 tmports.

Washington, April 39.-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 shrewd move of the nj.
caraguans In declaring Corinto a closed
port The iirst news Of tho events
came In the afternoon to DR.. Gusman.
the Nicaraguan minister.
Tho first cabieyram stated that the
British troops had landed at Corinto.
and that the British nag was flying over
Vie towh, which had been deserted by
the Nicaraguan officials and the native
Inhabitants.
The second cablegram showed that
the authorities had gone to San Juan
Del Sur. cutting tho wires connecting
the cable port with CorInto, 10 that the
British forces at tho latter place could
not communicate with their home gov
eminent except by sending boat to
the cable station. The main body OF
tho Nicaraguans who had abandoned
Corinto had crossed 4 lagoon which sep
aratcs the town fro hthe main land and
had strongly entr9 said themselves.
. Inc hrst effect asscdecree closing
the port therefore. the nnuobably be to
divert nearly all, <om tho no entire I'M
port trade Of the DIX Of phiDn Juan Del
sur or perhaps Re4 Kouwopeaport near
by, for 1t is lmprok Ind John I many mcr.
chnhts will take &c.. &.>A~S Of gettiDg
their goods In Nicaragua through tho
British lines under the circumstances.
In this case the length Of the stay Of
the British ut CorintO Is problematical.
conditional rs 1t 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 pcrma
nent and indeed the first paragraph OF
the Clayton Bulwer treaty expressly
pledges Great Britain against any o..
cupatiot 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 Corlnto, no us to In
cludc 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
the collection of the indemnity. which
Items will surely be added by the Brit
ish to the original sum.
There Is some difference OF opinion
here rs TO whether the declaration OF
Nicaragua that Corinto was closed
port, Will be recognized. II is plainly
within the power OF any country to
close 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 n 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 strategic standpoint The
town Is practically on an island, being
separated from the mainland by al
stretch Of marshy ground. This Is
traversed with bridges. aud without
them Corlnto Is cut or from the shore
The Nlcaraguans have retired TO the
shore end Of the bridges and those well
informed on the situation believe that
II the British make any movement TO
cross the lagoon the bridges will be
burned and the little band Of Nicara
guam troops will make n stand against
further cucroachiucnts.