Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-05-02
The BRITISH LANDED.
NOW OCCUPYING coRlNro.
Naoaragusns Abandon the Town. and the
Government Announces That the Port
Is Closed to Imports.

Washington. April 29.-Ths 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 . closed
port. The first news of the events
came In the afternoon to DR.. Guzman,
the Nlcaraguan minister.
The first cablegram stated that the
British troops had landed at Corinto.
the town. which had been deserted by
the Nicaraguan officials and the native
!nhabitants
The second cablegram showed that
the authorities had gone to San Juan
Del Sur, cutting the wires connecting
the cable port with Corinto, 80 that tho
British forces at the latter place could
not communicate with their home gov
ernment except by sending boat to
the cable station. The main body OF
the Nicaraguans who had abandoned
,Corlnto had crossed a lagoon which sep
arates the town from the main land and
had strongly entrenched themselves.
The first effect of the decree closing
the port therefore, will probably be to
divert nearly all, II not the entire I'M
port trade Of the place to San Juan Del
Sur or perhaps Realaja, a seaport near
by, for 1t is improbable that many mer-
chants will take the chances of getting
their goods In Nicaragua through tho
British lines under the circumstances.
In this case the length of the stay Of
the British at Corinto is problematical.
conditional rs 1t IL upon collecting
ruh IN, ol.n
good the indemnity demanded. But an
other consideration arises at this point.
for our government has been assured
that the occupation will not be perma-
ncnt and indeed the first paragraph of
the Clayton-Rulwer treaty expressly
pledges Great Britain against any Oc.
cupation 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 Corinto, SO as to in
clude all OF the Pacific ports of Nicara-
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 as to whether the declaration of
Nicaragua that Corinto was a closed
port, will be recognized. 1t Is plainly
within the power of any country to
close q port In time Of peace. and Sem
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 10 order to close port an effective
blockade must BIS sustained. England
insisted upon this when the United
STATES declared the Confederate ports
close! turing tn, war.
The British position is said to be very
bad from a strategic standpoint. The
town Is practically on an island, being
separated from the mainland by a
stretch Of narshy ground. This is
traversed with bridges, and without
them Corinto Is cut of from the shore.
The N:oraguans have retired to the
shore end Of the rilges and those well
informed on the situation believe that
l. thc British make any movement to
cross the lagoon the bridges will be
burned att tie little band of Nicara
guam troops will make a stand against
further encroachments.