Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-04-29
LITTLE BUT SAUCY,
Nicaragua Makes Things Inter-
1. esting for John Bull.
FIRST MOVE IN THEeAME BAFrLED.

Occupation Of Corinto Made Practically
C,eIess by Declaring the Port Closed
Efforts of the United States and Central
American Governments to Induce Nica-
-agua to Pay Up Fail, and She Ciinss to
the Hope Of Uncle sam's Intervention
Situation Much More Complicated.
WASHINGTON, April 29-Tbe United
States government has been officially in.
formed of the occupation by the British Of
gle city of Corinto, Nicaragua. The sit
uation in that country is at this writing
rs follows: Great Britain has occupied
Corinto. the principal seaport of Nicara-
qua, and the British flag waves above the
town. The three ships, Royal Arthur,
Satellite and Wild Swan. have taken po-
sitions where they can command the ap-
proaches to the town. The Nicaraguans
military and civilians-have abandoned
IT, place, the soldiers withdrawing to the
! Weights on the mainIand-Corinto is on a
sort of isiand-and preparing to fight, it
seems, if the British shall make any ef-
fort to move into the interior
Sharp Play by the Nicarasuans.
To checkmate the British and proiong
and complicate the trouble with the ap-
parent intention of forcing the difficulty
into the domain OF the Monroe doctrine
and getting it where the United States
.nust interfere, the Nicaraguan govern
mcnt has closed the port of Cornto. This
will prevent merchant ships from enter.
ing to discharge cargo, for il they should
do so the goods could not go into the in
terror without danger of seizure by the
Nicaraguans. The only way to meet this
jnove for tho British, will be for them to
occupy other Nicaraguan ports as they
are made ports of entry. until the whole
coast Is blockadcd; or declare war and
capture the capital, Managun
Washington Diplomats Surprised.
The news was a surprise to the state
department here. 1t was believed that
the only difficulty in the way OF speedy
settlement of the trouble was that arising
from trouble experienced by the Nicara-
guam government in raising the money
hastily, and that the British admiral
would be indulgent on this point when
once satisfied of the disposition of the
Nicaraguans to comply with the terms OF
the ultimatum otherwise had never been
doubted by the department. AS soon as
the British had occupied Corinto the
connection between that point and the
seSt of the world, and the British COM
,in1ndcr will have to send his dispatches
by boat to the nearest cable telegraph STA
ton.
Only Making the Matter Worse.
There does not seem to be any doubt
anywhere Of the right of Great Britain to
demand and collect this smart money, for
IN maltrcating Pro-Consul Hatch the
Nicaraguans were insulting the British
flag, thing that no nation submits to,
whether the insulter is big or little And
this resistance and attempt to prevent the
British from getting the money will, it is
expected, only make the cost greater to
Nicaragua, for the British will be iikely
tn add the cost OF collecting to the orr
ginal sum. 1t is doubtful, moreover,
whether the closing OF Corinto is such a
shrewd move. IL is well-established
principle OF international law that one
payment of duties is enough, and if the
British collect them and the Nicaraguans
seize the goods she may have them to pay
fnr