The record-union., 1895-04-19
No Wish of the Company to Sur
render Its Concessions.
THE ENTERPRISE TO BE PUSHED
WITH ALL POSSIBLE SPEED.
Ex-Congressman Bryan Replies in
Very Forcible Terms to President
Cleveland's Epistle on the financial
Question, Asking the Chief Execu-
tive to Define His Position.
Special to the REooRD-UN1ox.


WASHINGTON. April 1S.-Dr. Guzman,
the Nicaraguan Minister, was asked to-
day concerning report that Nicaragua
desired that the present Nicaraguan Canal
Company should surrender the conces-
sion under which work has been done
thus far. and that the United States and
Nicaragua should jointly undertake the
future work as governmental enter
prise. The Minister explained that the
report was due to a misapprehension.
The Nicaraguan Government had no
wish, he said, that the company should
surrender its concession. 1t had every
con t1dence that the company would push
the enterprise with all possible speed.
Under these circumstances, Dr.. Guz-
man said. the joint governmental action
was not live one, and it was needless to
speculate on contingency which Mica
ragua did not regard as remote possi-
bllity. The Government wanted to give
every facility and encouragement to the
company, and did not want the impress
sion to get abroad that it considered a for
teIture likely or even possible.
DR.. GuZman says the misrepresentation
arose through crediting to him state
ment which he had communicated to the
statement had been made during an inter-
view between the United States Minister
at Nicaragua and the Government au-
thorltles. 1t was forwarded TO Guzman
and by him sent TO the State Department
wlthourany intention of indorsing the
views. 1t has since been found that the
report of the interview at Managua was
very defective. Minister Baker was talk
ing III English, and understood no Span
ism; the NIcaraguan Minister was talk
ing in Spanish, and understood no Eng
llsh. There was naturally some mis-
understanding, from which the recent
reports have arisen.
The impression is growing that Presi-
dent ZeIaya of Nicaragua has taken q too
optimistic view OF the state of the rela-
tlons between Great Britain and his own
country in assuming that the former has
decided to desist from carrying out her
uItImatum to Nicaragua and that she
will agree to allow the claim for in
demulty to go to arbitration. 1t is re-
garded as a significant fact that the Earl
OF Kimberly, the British Foreign Minis
ter, has just returned suddenly to Lon
don, and 1t is believed the true explana-
tlon OF the delay IN action is to be found
in the TACT that none Of the subordinates
III the British Foreign Office felt like
assuming the responsibility for action in
the absence of the Earl.
DIR. GuZman, the y icaraguan Minister
at Washington, has not heard from his
Government as to Great BrItain's pur-
pose. but he is hourly expecting an
answer to his cabled inquiry From the
delay in answering he believed the
Nicarrguan Government is as yet unin-
formed as TO the latest phases of the situa-
ton, and it probably is in communication
with It's representative in London.
Sir Julian PaunceiOte, the British EN-
bassador, received no adYices on the sub
Ject to-day. W hIIe there is an absence OF
Official information, the diplomatic Off
Gals regard it as settled that Great
Britain will proceed to enforce her claim
against Nicaragua by moderate but irm
means. The impression also prevails
that with Parliament in session, the
Government would not risk an appeal to
that body by moderating or yielding TO
the proposals OF a minor power