THE MONROE DOCTRINE 411 



replied that Nicaragua must deal directly with Great 

 Britain. In a telegram of April 24, to Mr. Bayard in Lon- 

 don, he said : " The President advises that you say un- 

 officially and confidentially to Lord Kimberley, that while 

 disclaiming any right to interfere in pending settlement of 

 claim for pecuniary reparation, compliance with Nicara- 

 gua's request [extension of time for payment] would avoid 

 embarrassment to commerce of this and other countries, 

 and be very satisfactory to the United States." 



This, Lord Kimberley willingly granted, and the claim 

 was soon after settled. 



Commenting upon this episode, the President in his an- 

 nual message the following December, said : " While the 

 sovereignty and jurisdiction of Nicaragua was in no way 

 questioned by Great Britain, the former's arbitrary conduct 

 in regard to British subjects furnished the ground for this 

 proceeding [seizure of Corinto]." 



The landing of an armed British force in Central America 

 provoked considerable comment in the press throughout the 

 country concerning the duty and probable action of the 

 United States. The matter was closed, however, without 

 an official appeal to the doctrine. 



XII. GREAT BRITAIN AND VENEZUELA 



The latest application of the Monroe Doctrine by our 

 government was made in 1895-96. In his third annual mes- 

 sage (December 2, 1895), President Cleveland used the fol- 

 lowing words : 



It being apparent that the boundary dispute between Great 

 Britain and the Republic of Venezuela concerning the limits of 

 British Guiana was approaching an acute stage, a definite state- 

 ment of the interest and policy of the United States as regards 

 the controversy seemed to be required both on its own account 

 and in view of its relations with the friendly powers directly con- 

 cerned. In July last, therefore, a despatch was addressed to our 

 Ambassador at London for communication to the British Govern- 

 ment in which the attitude of the United States was fully and 



