The United States and Latin AmericaLatané, John Holladay
History
The United States and Latin America
Latané, John Holladay
Latin America -- Foreign relations -- United States; United States -- Foreign relations -- Latin America
Upon two occasions subsequently questions arose between the two
governments involving the stipulations of the treaty. In 1888, and again
in 1894, the United States felt called upon to protest against British
interference in the affairs of the Mosquito coast.[178] The ground of
interposition on the part of Great Britain was alleged to be found in
the treaty of Managua, signed between Great Britain and Nicaragua on the
28th of January, 1860. This convention, it will be remembered, was one
of the three treaties entered into by Great Britain with Central
American republics with a view to removing the causes of dispute in the
construction of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty. The treaty of Managua
assigned a district to the Mosquito Indians within the limits of the
republic of Nicaragua. The sovereignty of Nicaragua over the district
was recognized, but the Indians were secured in the possession and
enjoyment of their own domestic customs and regulations. It was agreed,
however, that nothing in the treaty should prevent the Mosquitos at any
subsequent date from voluntarily agreeing to absolute incorporation with
the republic of Nicaragua. By the terms of the treaty the protectorate
of Great Britain over the Mosquito coast was to cease three months after
the exchange of ratifications.
In reply to the protest of 1888, Lord Salisbury said that her majesty's
government had no intention to assert a protectorate in substance or in
form over the Mosquito nation, but that according to the convention with
Nicaragua of 1860, Great Britain undertook "to secure certain rights and
privileges to the Mosquito Indians, and in the event, which has arisen,
of the Mosquito Indians complaining that their rights are infringed by
Nicaragua, by whom is remonstrance to be made to Nicaragua unless by
Great Britain, with whom she has concluded the convention in
question?"[179]
In the spring of 1894, yet more serious trouble arose. The Mosquito
territory was invaded by the troops of Nicaragua and Bluefields was
surrounded. The British consul at that point protested against this act
as contrary to the treaty of Managua. The protest being unheeded, a
force of troops was landed from the British ship _Cleopatra_ and on
March 9, the Nicaraguans were forced to retire. Mr. Bayard was
instructed by telegraph "to ascertain and report fully by cable the
occasion for this action." The British government disavowed all
intention of violating the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, which it recognized
"as extant and in full force."
In July, 1894, United States marines were landed at Bluefields to
protect American interests and to restore order. Later the British
government assured Mr. Bayard that its action had been wholly
unconnected with any political or conventional question touching the
Mosquito reservation, but simply to protect British interests.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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