CHAPTER XXIV.

LANDING OF COLUMBUS ON THE MOSQUITO SHORE-ARE THE MOSQUITOES AN INDEPENDENT NATION?-WHAT VISCOUNT PALMERSTON SAYS ABOUT IT-THE CLAYTON AND BULWER TREATY-CONFLICTING VIEWS AS TO ITS CONSTRUCTION -THE ENGLISH CHARGE D'AFFAIRES TO THE GOVERNMENT OF NICARAGUA— A RUNNING FIRE OF GASCONADE-THE SAME OFFICIAL ON BOUNDARY LINESWHAT BONNYCASTLE SAYS-TREATIES OF PEACE, BOUNDARIES AND COMMERCE BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND SPAIN-WHAT AN OLD ENGLISH AUTHOR SAYS-MOTION TO CENSURE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS-REFUSAL-THE SAM

BOES-PROBABLE ORIGIN OF THE MOSQUITO NAME-THE MOSQUITO SHORE COMPLETELY EVACUATED-THE SAMBOES IN A REAL ESTATE OPERATION-THE

DOG IN THE MANGER-REVOLTED NEGROES FROM ST. DOMINGO-THE PRODUC

TIONS OF THE MOSQUITOES-BELIZE-ITS ARMORIAL BEARINGS-SURPLICE FEES.

COLUMBUS landed upon the Mosquito Coast, on Sunday, August the fourteenth, A. D. 1502, and is said to have taken formal possession of the country. A gun bearing his name, has been found imbedded in the sand, about twelve miles north of Greytown. This territory, held by the Republic of Nicar

agua, to be but the Atlantic margin of her domain, and as strongly controverted by Great Britain, has a present historic importance, as to whether the Moscos or Mosquitoes, in fact, be an independent, sovereign nation. Whether they ever have been, is a mooted question, and hence we approach the subject, aware of the importance of our position, nor shall we exceed the bounds of evidence in endeavoring to illustrate our pages.

A previous chapter on this subject, was general in its tone. We shall particularize now, and uphold the views of the United States. When the question was broached, the subjoined was presented to Mr. Lawrence, in which, as to whether the Protectorate is of modern data or not, as claimed by Great Britain, is set forth. It is dated, Foreign Office, Jan. 5, 1850, and is as follows:

"Viscount Palmerston presents his compliments to Mr. Lawrence, and begs to communicate to him, for his perusal, a translation in Spanish of a letter from Mr. Chatfield, her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Guatemala, addressed to the Government of Nicaragua, on the 5th of September last, containing a statement of facts, showing the nature of the connection which has existed since the middle of the Seventeenth century, between Great Britain and the Mosquito nation."(Senate, Doc. 27, p. 50.)

We must not overlook the fact, that the "Clayton and Bulwer Treaty" was concluded between the United States and

THE CLAYTON AND BULWER TREATY.

249 Great Britain, April 19, 1850, and proclaimed in July of the same year. John M. Clayton, in his letter dated, Department of State, Washington, May 7, 1850, informs the Country, that he has "negotiated a Treaty with Sir Henry Bulwer;" and in conclusion, he adds, "Her (Great Britain's) protectorate will be reduced to a shadow-stat nominis umbra, for she can neither occupy, fortify, or colonize, or exercise dominion or control in any part of the Mosquito Coast or Central America. To attempt to do either of these things, after the exchange of ratifications, would inevitably produce a rupture with the United States. By the terms, neither party can occupy to protect, nor protect to occupy." Sir Henry Bulwer denied this construction in his letters to Mr. Webster, in which he holds, "that the Convention was not designed to affect the position of Her Majesty in respect to the Mosquito Shore."

On the 15th of August, 1850, the English Representative in Central America, addressed the Government of Nicaragua as follows: "Instead of insisting on its supposed rights to the Mosquito Shore, Nicaragua would best consult her interests by at once making good terms with England; for resistance in this matter will be of no avail. It is impossible that Nicaragua should be ignorant of her Britannic Majesty's relation to the Mosquito question, as she has before her the letter of Viscount Palmerston, of the date of April 15th last, (written, as will be seen, after the note to Mr. Lawrence,) which was sent to Nicar

agua at a later period, in which he declares in the most clear and direct terms, the utter impossibility of acceding to the pretensions of Nicaragua. On the other hand, the Treaty of Messrs. Clayton and Bulwer, about which you have so much to say, and in which you express so much confidence, expressly recognizes the Mosquito Kingdom, and sets aside the rights which you pretend Nicaragua has on that coast. The true policy for Nicaragua, is to undeceive herself in this respect, and to put no further confidence in the protestations or assurances of pretended friends, (viz. Americans). It will be far better for her to come to an understanding without delay, with Great Britain; on which nation, depends not only the welfare and commerce of the State, but also the probability of accomplishing any thing positive concerning inter-oceanic communication through her territories; because it is only in London that the necessary capital for such an enterprise can be found."

This certainly is gasconading to some purpose, though the Government of Nicaragua still believed there was almost as much capital to be had, for a remunerative enterprise, in the United States as in London. Again, on December 5th, following, the same official informed, in writing, the Government of Nicaragua, of the boundaries "which Her Majesty's Government proposes to assert for the Mosquito King"-Thus :

"The undersigned, her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires

BOUNDARY LINES OF THE MOSQUITO TERRITORY.

251

in Central America, with this view, has the honor to declare to the Minister of Foreign Relations of the Supreme Government of Nicaragua, that the general boundary line of the Mosquito Territory, begins at the Northern extremity of the boundary line between the district of Tegucigalpa, in Honduras, and the jurisdiction of New Segovia; and after following the Northern frontiers of New Segovia, it runs along the Southeastern limit of the District of Matagalpa and Chontales, and thence in an Eastern course, until it reaches the Machuca Rapids, on the River San Juan."

Re

"The Mosquito Shore, (says Bonnycastle), was held by Great Britain for eighty years," which agrees with the date 1783, when a Treaty of peace, boundaries, and commerce, was declared between it and Spain. Article 6th of said Treaty stipulates, that "English subjects shall have the right of cutting, loading, and carrying away logwood in the District lying between the River Wallis, or Belize, and Rio Hondo." member that this is distant hundreds of miles from the Mosquito Coast. "Therefore, (we continue), all the English who may be dispersed in any other parts, whether on the Spanish Continent, (main land,) or in any of the Islands whatsoever, dependent on the aforesaid Spanish Continent, and for whatever reason it might be, without exception, shall return within the District which has been above described, in the space of eighteen months, and for this purpose orders shall be issued on