The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1895-04-29

OiSPaICuco AHulCdL0 ludI Iuc NACdTdSuauS
are disposed to resist any further ad-
vance by the British.
The information reaching here is that
the Nicaraguans may further isolate the
British at Corinto. by burning the
bridges across the lagoon separating the
town from the mainland. The British
position is said to be very. bad from q
strategic standpoint. The town is prac-
tically on an island, being separated
from the mainland by a stretch of
marshy ground This is traver sed by
bridges, and those we'll 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 Nicaraguan troops will make a
stand against futher encroachments.
The British are evidently apprehen-
sIve of trouble on this score, as indicated
that three vessels, the Royal Arthur,
the Wild Swan and the Satellite, have
been so placed as 10 command the town
with their guns. 1t is probable that
this disposition has been made SO as to
insure the occupying forces, numbering
about 400 armed men, from an attack
from the NIcaraguans, rather than with
any deliberate purpose of bombardlng
the town, for there is no evidence that
British desire to advance into the in
terror at present, and it Is certainly not
part of the original programme of
operations as made known to our
government.
The Eews of the situation at Corinto
created a cemmotion here, and particu-
larly in the state department. Sir Julian
Pauncefote, the British am bassador, came
to the department., and after remaining
in private consultation with Secretary
Gresham for short time the two re-
paired to the war department to consult
with Secretary Lamont. The latter was
absent at the time, but, coming in later,
repaired Immediately to the state de-
partment and talked over matters with
the president. Latter the news came to
the department. by the press dispatches
from Colon that the Nicaraguan govern
ment had made a sharp move by declar-
ing Corinto a closed port. This was
evidently disturbing element in the
calculations, for Assistant Secretary
Uhl was at once dispatched to the British
embassy to confer with Sir Julian Paun-
cefote. most unusual proceeding in de-
partmentaI etiquette.
1twas said at the embassy that Sir
Julian Pauncefote had not received con-
frmation from the foreign office of the
British occupation of Corinto up to the
close of the EN- bassy, at 8 o'clock. The
EN- bassy did not except direct informa-
tion from London, as it is said the for
eign Office has no occasion to communl-
cate with the British representative at
Washington.
There can be no doubt that the action
! of the Nicaraguan government in de-
claring Corinto closed port has serious
ly complicated a most troublesome ques.
ton, and even if there is no resort to
hostIlities at present, it opens prospect
of alarming events in the future, which
may, and in fact. are, even regarded as
likely to involve the United States di-
rectly in the affair, in spite of the earnest
disposition of the administration to
avoid the enlargement. The action
means that no goods can now be entered
at Corinto, a port which has heretofore
received over half of the imports into
the country, without violating the
national law of Nicaragua. The British
may collect duties if any goods enter the
place, but the latter would be liable to
seizure the moment they crossed the
British lines into the interior. They
must do this to find market, for the
coast, being unhealthy, is tninly popu-
lated and the great consuming class Of
the population lives in the interior.
The first effect of the decree closing the
port, therefore, will probably be to divert
nearly all, if not the entire import trade
of the place to San Juan del Sur, or per.
haps Realaio, seaport near by. for it il
i'm probable that many merchants will
take the chances of getting their goodl
into Nicaragua through the British lines
n iExt n