Evening star., 1895-04-26
THETARSWON'TL
Nicaragua Pays Great Britain With
a Diplomatic Note.
MD0RSED BY THE UNITED STATES
Causes That Influenced the Action
Of the State Department.
THE VENEZUELAN AFFAIR
THE VENEZUELAN AFFAIR

Nicaragua has accepted the inevitable.
and, 1t is said, has promised compliance
with the British ultimatum. The good Of
fees of the United States were exercised
to the extent of securing an extension Of
twenty-four hours in the time within which
Nicaragua must make satisfactory ar
rangements to pay the British admiral
$4,000 indemnity for the expulsion of Pro-
consul Hatch and other British subjects
Otherwise Corinto would have been seized
by the British forces at 6 o'clock this
morning and the payment of the indemnity
enforced by the appropriation of the reve-
nues of Nicaragua by British officials.
satisfactory Adjustment.
The extension of time for voluntary pay
ment was the result of negotiations be-
tween Washington and London, which
kept the cable line busy yesterday after
noon and evening. The messages at this
end of the line were signed Gresham"
and at the other end 'Bayard."
The last one received from Mr.. Bayard
showed the success of his negotiations with
the British foreign office to the extent al
ready indicated. The correspondence also
related to conditions under which the in
demnity should be paid, but there is lack
of information on this point beyond the
statement that they are satisfactory" AL
though it is impossible to obtain an official
admission to that effect, there is ground for
the belief that the United States govern
n!ent has assumed moral responsibility at
least for the liquidation of Nicaraguas OBJ
legations in this matter. To what extent
the United States has indorsed Nicaragua's
promises to pay cannot be established, but
at any rate, the arrangement Is said to be
entirely satisfactory to Great Britain.
Discussed ut Cabinet Meeting.
The Nicaraguan complication was un-
doubtedly the subject of discussion at to-
days cabinet meeting. Secretary Gresham
went to the White House like a lawyer
with an important case on hand. He car
rled a gcod-siLed bundle of papers, and was
accompanied by a messenger with his arms
full of books on International law and for
e.gn correspondence. 1t is said that he
made an able argument to the President
and his colleagues in support of the ad-
ministration's position in the Nicaraguan
affair.
DIR. Guzmaa, the Nicaraguan minister
had another interview with Secretary
Gresham at the State Department this
morning.
AS he was leaving he admitted that Mic
aragua would pay the Hatch indemnity,
but tersely refused to discuss the matter
Some recent statements have appeared
1ntimating that Nicaragua was disposed to
cr1ticise the course of the United States in
not adopting energetic steps in her behalf
DR.. Guzman wishes it clearly understood
however, that it is not Tor Nicaragua, or
for him. as its representative, to question
in the slightest way the kindly disposition
of this country, and matter of fact
the minister feels gratified at the consider
alton which has been shown him ard his
government at a time of grave emergency
he has do fro.
quent visits to the department mainly for
the purpose of giving Such information US
was in his possession.
Awaiting the Venezuelan Crisis.
AS an explanation of the attitude of the
administration in the Nicaragua affair it
is now learned that the United States is
reserving its energies so as to deal with
the Venezuelan question becomingly, when
the crisis there, which cannot much longer
be averted, is reached. The British gov
ernment has been given to understand
that the United States does not take issue
with it as to the right to exact an indem-
nifty and reasonable reparation from Mica
ragua, considering the gravity of the Of
fense committed by the Nicaraguan gov
ernment in expelling a British official and
British subjects from Nicaragua in def
ance of all principles of international law
and comfy.
The fact that the Americans who We're
expelled at the same time by the Nicara-
guans Were afterward voluntarily permit
ted to return to the country has not in any
degree served to pallate the offense COM
mitted against Great Britain and against
civilization in the eyes of our State De-
partment. In consenting 10 the execution
of the British program in Nicaragua, how
ever, the State Department was very care
full to give full notice that it should not
permit the British to annex a foot of Mica
raguan soil nor to interfere with the re-
publican form of government there. 1t was
fully intended that this notice should be
taken as an exposition of the position of
our government in the matter. and it is
asserted that the fears expressed by the
Latin-American diplomatists here that the
landing of British troops at Corinto would
be the forerunner of forcible occupation
by the British of the territory in dispute
between Great Britain and Venezuela is
without foundation.
Bayard Equipped for the Affair.
Ambassador Bayard at London is well
acquainted with the Views of the President
in this matter, and 1t may be stated posi-
lively that he will not tolerate the occupa-
ton of the territory to the westward of the
famous Schonberg line by Great Britain
Secretary Gresham. there is reason to be-
lieye has caused Mr.. Bayard to be inform
ed of the position that will be assumed by
the United States. namely, that it cannot
permit the extension of the British claim
and the occupation of that territory, at
least in advance of arbitration. AS there
is still remote prospect that Great Britain
will SO far heed our prior urgent represen-
tations as to consent to submit the entire
boundary question to arbitration, it may
be that Mr.. Bayard has regarded it as in
advisable at present to communicate this
conclusion reached by the President to the
British foreign office, and that it will be
withheld until the clash, which is inevita BILE
in the absence of an agreement to arbi-
trate the difficulty, occurs Oh the Venezu-
elan boundary.
The attempt of the Guiana colonists to run
a railway through Venezuelan territory
may precipitate this clash. When the
proper moment arrives. the decision of our
government, 1T is said will be communicat-
ed in no uncertain terms and the modera-
ton the United States has shown in the
Nicaraguan affair, in which the honor of
Great Britain is regarded as involved, it Is
believed, will cause our course as to Venez-
uela to be respected.
GIST OF FOREIGN COMMENT.
What is Said Abrond-The Nicaragua
Dispute.
LONDON. April 26-The United States
ambassador, Mr.. Thomas F. Bayard, was