Mr. Foster to Mr. Shannon.

No. 144.]

Sir: I have before me your dispatch No. 168, of August 17, 1892, referring to the complaint of the Southern Pacific Steamship Company, against increase of port charges at Bluefields, Nicaragua, and communicating the reply of the Nicaraguan Government to your representations in the matter; also your No. 195, of September 28, 1892, in further reference to the subject, and your No. 235, of November 9 last, and the copy of correspondence therewith.

The nature of this correspondence, growing out of the complaint, above mentioned of the Southern Pacific Steamship Company, has furnished occasion for this Government to communicate its views on the respective rights of Nicaragua and the Mosquito Indians to our minister in London, and to apprise Her Majesty’s Government, through him, that for the settlement of international questions affecting any port of Nicaragua the Government of the United States must look to Nicaragua alone.

I inclose a copy of the instructions* to Mr. Lincoln communicating these views, and you will hand a copy to the minister of state of Nicaragua for his information.

I am, etc.,

John W. Foster.
  1. For this inclosure see instructions to the U. S. minister to Great Britain, No. 1053, dated February 8, 1893.