Year: 1868

The Central American Transit Company and


the Nicaraguan Government.


RIvAs, May 20, 1868.


The public mind in Nicaragua continues to be
greatly agtaed on the subject Of the difficulties be.
tween the government and the Central American
Transit Company and which have led to the temporary
abandonment by the Company of the Nicaragaan
route to California The withdrawal Of the steamers
from this route has caused great dissatisfaction
among the Nicaraguan people with the government
for refusing on insufficient grounds to fulfil their
contract with the company and there has been
such an emphatic expression OF public opinion on
the subject that the President has thought Il pru.
on whose representations the course was decided
upon which led to the rupture between the govern
ment and the American transit company. This Is
regarded but as preliminary to other steps on the
part Of the government looking TO speedy and
satisfactory settlement OF the dcnlty ana te return
of the steamers on their regular trips IL Is claimed
by the defenders OF the company that the
OF Nicaragua has no power to annul the companys
charter while no proof OF bad faith exists ana IL Is
contehded that no such proof has been adduced. In
an able letter, published recently in local paper,
Mr. Rosa Perez, one OF the most prominent and In
uentia citizens of Nicaragua, shows that taking into
account all the adverse circumstances under which
the company has labOred In carrying out Its con.
tract everything that could reasonably be expected
has been done by that corporation In fuhlment or
the terms Of their charter. He maintains in his
if the government of Nicaragua should have an In
tenton Of extinguishing It, seeing that 1t is an
s Stas Of or%aed and
according to the laws Of that State, and having It's
transit business in Nicaragua IN the-same manner
any foreigner can do business here without losing
his rights as foreigner. He argues that the note
OF Mr.. Ayon, the Minister, which has led to sus-
pension OF the transit operations for the present,
does not bind the Judgment nor the future action OF
the government, because the Minister does not make
any declaration that the company has for for
gress ought not to be considered as q
sentence OF death against the company, but only as
cutive to act in the matter in accordance with what
might be rational and JUST and that 1t cannot be ex-
qua should deliberately violate all principles of JUS
tce with the object Of destroying the company. He
demands rigid examination OF what the company
has executed, and asks for reform OF the charter


f up to the present time he says, they have not
been able to establish the transit according to the
original intention, do not let us condemn the COM
pay ipso acto; let us reflect that the enterprise is
not an ordinary or merely routine business, but one
which requires the combined action OF science, capi-
tai and nature ITSELF II the company stops moment
before great difficulties If in good faith and frank
they say what they need does not appear fair
have observed that II is thus governments proceed
they do not consult with bo0kworm awyYs't0 deal
with matters of gigantic national importance but
they place themselves on a level whereirom they can
reach and appreciate the consequences OF their
actions"


1t is significant that the government has repub-


shed In the ODicidl Gazette M. Perez letter in FULL
from which Is would seem that they agree with his
opinions. In fact, II Is known that they have no In
| tentOn OF annuling the Transit Companys charter
while no proof of bad faith exists and there is every
reason to believe that matters will be permanty
settled and the transit reopened. 1t is admitted on
| all hands that contract Is necessary, but the
Ncaraguans are too much alive to the Dement'S TO be
| reaped from the transit TO submit quietly 10 an
abandonment OF the enterprise through want OF en-
| couragement on the part OF their government. they
regard their country as destined 10 furnish one OF
| the highways of the worlds commerce, and they
are anxious to reap all the advantages which geo
graphical position gives them, as well as to give
every possible encouragement to capital Tor the de-
veloplnent OF its immense and varied natural re-
| sources. AS the pioneer enterprise IN this great
work OF national improvement, they look with Pc
| cuiar favor upon the American Transit Company.