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Doc. No. 75. 



which have since occurred here have led us to the conviction that so far 

 from hastening the period so ardently desired of a peaceful settlement^ 

 Great Britain has only embarrassed the affair, and placed new dilficulties 

 in the way by employing her forces in violent acts for thus obtaining: 

 what might not have been easily effected by negotiation. 



On the 25th of October of the past year^ Mr. George Hodgson, appear- 

 ing with the title of late councillor to his Mosquito Majesty, communica- 

 ted to the employes of this State residing at the port at the mouth of the 

 river San Juan an ultimatum^ whereby it was declared that unless that 

 place should be evacuated on the first of January next, forcible measures 

 would be taken to effect that object." Such a notification, given by an 

 unauthorized person in the name of a chimerical government, and at the 

 time when the government of Nicaragua had declared to the English 

 agent accredited in the country its sincere desire to treat the question in 

 a pacific manner, and to preserve harmony and good understanding with 

 Great Britain, did not merit compliance, especially considering that any 

 condescension in this respect would have been a dereliction from the 

 dignity of the Stale, and a prejudice to its just rights; nor could it be be- 

 lieved that the government of Great Britain, which has always shown a 

 spirit of moderation and respect for the rights and possessions of inde- 

 pendent States, would support an enterprise so openly in violation of the 

 perfect rights of this State, by elevating the wandering Mosquito tribes to 

 a rank to which they do not aspire, from their absolute incapacity to 

 maintain it, to the humiliation of a free State, whose independence has 

 been acknowledged repeatedly by the British cabinet itself. 



Nevertheless, on the first of January of this present year, Mr. Walker 

 arrived at that part of San Juan under the protection of a British ship-of- 

 war, for the purpose of taking possession of the place in the name of the 

 Mosquito King. The force placed there by my government was insuffi- 

 cient to make resistance, as it was placed there merely to protect the in- 

 terests of commerce in the warehouses of the State; and Mr. Walker^ 

 taking an unfair advantage of the superiority of his forces, hauled down 

 the flag of the republic, with insulting proceedings, and hoisted in its 

 stead the unrecognised flag of the Mosquitos, without regard to the prop- 

 ositions of peace addressed to him by a commissioner sent officially by 

 the government of Nicaragua with the object of effecting a just settlement 

 of the question. Under these circumstances, it became indispensable to 

 fortify the river of San Juan, in order to prevent further encroachments, 

 and to recover by arms what had been already wrested from the 

 State. In consequence, on the 9th of the same month of January, 

 the fort was reoccupied by the forces of Nicaragua, on which occasion 

 two prisoners were taken, with some trifles belonging to the inva- 

 ders. Notwithstanding this victory, my government was no less de- 

 sirous for the adoption of pacific means, maintaining always due consid- 

 eration towards the power from which all these difficulties came, and 

 those to which Nicaragua is entitled, torn in pieces as it has been by 

 convulsions and calamities of all kinds. The enemy of our repose and 

 welfare did not act in the same manner; all its efforts have been exerted 

 in the employment of violence and coercion, without regard for reason, 

 and without hesitating at any means, how shameful soever they might be. 



On the 12th of the present month, Mr. Granville G. Loch, command- 

 ing the steamer- of- war Alarm in her Britannic Majesty's service, attacked 



