The sun., 1895-05-26
4Hg DEI1IsH rRIrMrE Nv SIcA-
R.tGUt.

Stasrs = extraordinary Arownir OF =
Dri,ish Agcrt In Nie,rerue .s 60 the
Blue aeid. Observation-Disclosures Isaueueo
IN Central America Onciaily Regarded ne
"luostiie" by the Hritish Foreira once
what Fart Had tho American Govern-
ment or Its Agents Abroad Ia EncournE-
Ing the British Attack Upon Nicaragua .
Questions for tho Next Corgrrrs.
E,cr, May 7.-Tho London papers received
hcrc to-day announce tho substantial success CT
the British armed demonstration against Nion-
rayua In terms which very thinly vol! the sim
ME truth that that armed demonstration was
really aiLacd Mt tho prestige ahd tho authority
OF the United statca In Central America. Tho
Ioaton Standard, for example. which 1 quote
rot only because 1t is unqucstionably today the
,bicst and most influential OF the London jour
na's but because It speaks for the great poiiti-
cal parry now on the eve of recovering the con-
t-ci Of the British Government. sums the Uitua-
ton M with exemplary charm and cnndor
After nttributing tho pacific" issue of affairs
al Corinto to tn, "loyal conduct of the United
states Government" and to tho "judiclous" in
tervcntion Of San Salvador, the Standard, re-
terring to all tho Central American States OBJ
serves: Tho point OF It all is that these trouble
some and unruly countries have now learned
not to hold England too cheaply and not to rely
toe absolutely on the United States"
Undoubtedly This is precisely the "polnt" OF
tho whole business. The ostcnsible object of the
percmptory utimatum presented by Mr.. Cos
ling, like pistol at the head of the Nicaraguan
Government, was to secure n just indemnity for
tho feelings Of England, lacerated by the al
legged maltreatment of British subject at Blue-
fields. Tho real object OF the British Govern
mcnt was to teach the people of Nicaragua and
incidentally of oil the Central American States,
that they must not rely absolutely" on the
United States to protect them against the ag-
xressive and overbearing action of any European
Government. That the action of Great Britain
IN this matter toward Nicaragua was distinctly
aggressive and ovcrbearnR cannot successfully
lc denied. Whatever the merits may have been
OF the raised by the arrest at Blue
fields OF Mr.. Hatch, and by his forcible removal
80 Managua, 1t was certainly aggressive and
overbenrinR on the part of Great Britain herself
TO fix the amount of tho indemnity to be paid by
Nicaragua, to demand the payment of that in
Gemnity without submitting the merits of tho
to any open arbitration, and after thus
liking the amount Of the indemnity and de-
manding payment for 1t, to send squadron into
tie Nicaraguan waters, threaten n Nicaraguan
port with bombardment. occupy that port forci-
hly. expel from it the citizens and public officers
paying herself the indemnity decreed by her
self to be due out Of the revenues of the Mica
raguan Custom House. collected on imports
from foreign countries by British officers. under
cover of British cannon. Proceedings OF this
sort are certainly unusual in the intercourse Of
countries admitted to be civilized and Christian.
They are not, even In our times, very COM
mon in the intercourse Of civilized and Chris
tian powers with countries reputed to be semi
civilized or even barbarian. There have been
not a few incidents, for example, of late years in
the intercourse between various Christian pow
ers and the semi-civilized Mohammedan empire
of Morocco which might hnve been held to war
rant such measures on the part of the civilized
power concerned, and yet there is no recent in
stance in which any civilized power has pro-
ceeded after this fashion to extort justice or in
demnity from the Moors for wrongs and outrages
Suffered by its subjects. Why? For the very SIM
plc reason that no one of the great European
,owors, possessing colonies, or claiming
"spheres of influence" in North Africa, has
thought IT judcious to risk n quarrel with other
great Christian Powers, by asserting against
Morocco any rights or claims In the high handed
eyle just adopted by England against Nicar-
aqua Spain. the nearest European neghbor of
Morocco, having a specially long account to
tettle with the Moors adopted the diplomatic
md opened a military and naval campaign
against the Government of the Shereef. and even
this campaign had to be conducted with much
'ircumspection, and great pains taken to avoid
hrousng tho susceptibilities of Italy. England,
Gad France
Now Nicaragua either is or Is not civilized
end Christian State. II not a civilized and
Christian State. why does England maintain
diplomatic relations with Nicaragua and why
n"e English subjects residing and transectins
business in Nicaragua left to the laws and
courts Of Nicaragua for justice in their dis
rutcs end difficulties with Nicaraguan clti-
Eens or with the Nicaraguan Government2 II.
as a civilized and Christian State, Nicaragua
can be trusted to secure justice and protection
an'lcr her own laws and through her own courts
n private subjects of Great Britain, why should
the British Government carry question
between a British subject claiming to be
vsce-consular officer and tho Nicara-
guam authorities to the arbltrament of
the British Foreign Ofico. backed by
British squadron. when the Ncaraguan
government urged that this question should
be submitted, as tho questions between sundry
BFlt!sh subjects and tho Government of the
United States arising out of the American
claims to authority over the Behring Sea were
submitted by England to arbitration Can it be
charged by the Nicaraguan authorities with TO-
hehtlng rebellion against Nicaragua at Blue
he.ds, and on such charges arrested and taken
10 Managua, was treated with less ceremony
ana less regard to tho majesty of the British
crown than the British subjects who were seized
with their vessels by the United States in waters
which England AYERS to be without the juris-
a!cton OF the United States2
Why does England adopt ono rule of action
toward Nicaragua and another rule OF action
toward the United States? Is 1t not simply and
obviously because England shrinks from col
.son with the power OF the United States, and
U'caNse circumstances lod England to believe
'hat she might hector and browbeat Nicaragua
without incurring any further risk than WAS in
vowed IN tho military and naval power of Mica
Tagaa to resist herr
Now what were these circumstances which
mus led England to believe that SO far as tho
.HNsa States were concerned. she might safely
ufa' win Nicaragua, II civilized and Christian
eouhtry, holding close and peculiar relations
W po!'cy and q: interest to the United States, as
ll