Mr. Bayard to Mr. Gresham.
London, November 24, 1894. (Received December 3.)
Sir: I have the honor to state that yesterday, by appointment, I called on Lord Kimberley at the foreign office, and the subject of the interview was the present condition of affairs between Great Britain [Page 355] and Nicaragua, arising’ out of the rough treatment of Mr. Hatch, a representative of the former Government at Bluefields, at the hands of Nicaraguan authorities.
His lordship stated the occurrences complained of dated some three months ago, and, although explanation had at once been demanded, no response was made until two days ago, when a very voluminous reply in Spanish (necessitating translation) had been sent in, but which he had not yet had time to consider.
For the purpose of sending this dispatch by the mail to-day, it is enough to say that his lordship desires explicitly to have it understood that any action in the way of obtaining redress from Nicaragua which Her Majesty’s Government may hereafter decide is necessary in the premises is wholly unconnected with any political or conventional question touching the Mosquito Reservation, but is simply a proceeding, on the grounds of international law, to obtain satisfaction for an affront.
His lordship repeated to me, with much emphasis, his desire that this should be understood, and that he had no other wish than to act in accord and with the approval of the United States in matters concerning political control in Central America.
I reminded his lordship of the very imperfect civilization of the region where these difficulties had arisen, and of the incidental departures from the regulated proprieties of official life and legal methods which were naturally to be looked for in that quarter.
I told him in general substance the views I had expressed to Señor Barrios here in October last, and lately in Washington to Señor Guzman, in relation to the entire facility and finality with winch the Government of Nicaragua could pacify the entire region and absorb the small remnant of Indian self-government in Mosquito by simply dealing with generosity and gentle pressure with the leading Indians, and procure that “formal incorporation” of the territory of the Mosquito Reservation and the rest of Nicaragua provided for in the treaty of Managua, and thus the entire question of jurisdiction and of British or other interference could be ended.
Lord Kimberley warmly seconded this view, and expressed a-desire-it should be carried out.
Thus it will be perceived that Nicaragua has the matter in her own hands, and, by the exercise of common intelligence and discretion, can relieve herself from all possible complications growing out of past treaties, and her ill-advised submission to Austrian arbitration.
Mr. Barrios, who called here yesterday, produced a telegram in Spanish, unsigned, but from his Government, stating that Mr. Gosling, the British minister, declined to accept decrees of the Nicaraguan commissioner in Mosquito.
This I assume to mean that until Nicaragua has given the explanation demanded by the British Government, as to the forcible arrest and deportation of their agent, they will suspend relations with them.
If Nicaragua has (as is quite probable) exceeded the bounds of international amity and courtesy, she can not too soon place herself right by promptly making just amends. I am satisfied Great Britain has no insidious or unstated purposes or designs in relation to Central America; and, together with the United States, is best served by a condition of absolute peace and order in that region, uninterfered with ab exterior.
I have, etc.,