"It is thus proved," said the minister, "that neither Spain, nor Central America, nor Nicaragua has ever recognized a Mosquito State or territory, with the people and States of which they cultivated harmony with a view to civilizing them, for which reason the courtesies paid the Spanish authorities to the Mosquito whom you call Prince, cannot be construed as a recognition of him. . . ." The relation established between the Mosquito Indians and the British Government "could not have secured to England more than the paltry trade she might have carried on with a horde of savages whose purchases consisted at the most of a few rustic implements, and could by no means have given her the preeminent rights of a close alliance.'' 1 In 1843 a British diplomatic and consular agent was accredited to Mosquito.2 This functionary, as adviser of the alleged sovereign, was the power behind the throne. The reëstablishment of British dominion over the Mosquito Coast may be considered as dating from his appointment. In 1845, Lord Aberdeen, on behalf of Sir Robert 1 Orosco to Chatfield. Montúfar, op. cit., IV, 100-106. 2 When Great Britain determined to resume her dominion over the Mosquito Shore, in the name of a protectorate, is not known with any degree of certainty in the United States. The first information on the subject in the Department of State at Washington was contained in a despatch of the 20th January, 1842 (Buchanan to Clarendon, Jan. 6, 1854). Peel's Government, set up a claim to San Juan as belonging to the Mosquitos. It was probably in answer thereto that Nicaragua took forcible possession of the place in 1846. She declined to participate with Great Britain in the determination of the territory pertaining to the Mosquitos. As a consequence Lord Palmerston, in 1847, sent an instruction to all the diplomatic and other agents of the Crown in Central America and the adjacent countries, requiring them to report "what authentic information they could obtain as to the boundaries claimed by the King of Mosquito" and also what in their opinion was "the line of boundary which her Majesty's Government should insist upon as essential for the security and well-being of the Mosquito State." The two resulting boundaries, one claimed by the King of the Mosquitos and one asserted by the British Government, are shown on the Map of Central America by James Wyld, which is reproduced in Senate Executive Documents, No. 75, First Session, Fiftyfirst Congress. Among the few other authentic maps showing either of these boundaries are Baily's and one published by the United States Coast Survey, in March, 1856. The Mosquito Shore, with a western boundary line, appears in a map by Desmadryle Juc, published in Paris in 1830. 1 Quart. Rev., XCIX. Article by H. L. Bulwer. There are several maps of the Mosquito country (about 1758) in the Spanish Archives at Madrid; on one of these (No. 49 in the Catalogue) the inland boundary is traced in a yellow line.1 Great Britain informed Nicaragua and the other States bordering on the "Kingdom of Mosquito" that she considered the King of Mosquito to be entitled to the extent of coast reaching from Cape Honduras to the River San Juan.2 Up to that period, however, and among geographers generally, the Mosquito Shore was understood only as comprehending the coast lying between Cape Gracias á Dios and Bluefields Lagoon, including the latter; that is to say, between the 12th and 15th degrees of north latitude, a distance of about 200 miles. The attempts which have been made to apply the name to a greater extent of shore have had their origin in strictly political considerations.3 In October, 1847, the Nicaraguan Government replied to the British communication that it did not recognize any king of Mosquito, or any such territorial pretensions; and formally laid claim to the northern coast and the port of San Juan as a part of its own dominion, declaring that it would regard as war on the part of the British any oc 1 Relacion descriptiva, de los Mapas, Planos, etc., de la Audiencia y Capitanía general de Guatemala (Guatemala, San Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, y Costa Rica) existentes en el Archivo general de Indias by P. T. Lanzas, Chief of Archives. 2 Appendix A. 8 The States of Central America by E. G. Squier, pp. 629, 630. cupation of the port of San Juan effected by the Mosquitos under British protection. The council of state of Mosquito responded to this defiance by a resolution to establish the rights of sovereignty of the King of Mosquito over all the mouths of San Juan and over the navigation of the lower part of that river, on the appearance of the first British ship of war having orders to coöperate with the Mosquito Government. On the 8th of December, 1847, the name San Juan was anglicized as Greytown after Sir Charles Grey, Governor of Jamaica, by direction of the King in Council.1 Soon after this her Majesty's ships Alarm and Vixen arrived off Bluefields, and on the 1st of January, 1848, a British force proceeded to occupy San Juan.2 It met with no resistance, but its action gave rise, two days later, to the following protest: The supreme government of the sovereign State of Nicaragua has done me the honor to entrust me with a commission to enter upon friendly communication with the British Agent who may present himself at this port, for the purpose of avoiding the violent occupation of it by the troops under his command, under the pretended right which is sought to be alleged in favor of a chief of the tribes of Mosquitos, who under the title of King, without being recognized, is supported by the English force to which at present there is no equal force in this port to offer opposition, I protest against the viola 1 The Gate of the Pacific by Bedford Pim, p. 61. 2 Fullarton's Gazetteer, Article "Mosquito Territory." tion and outrage inflicted on the rights of the state, and I make its authors responsible in the face of the civilized world, for the effusion of blood which such an act must cause, as well as for the loss, damage, and injury which public and mercantile interests, national and foreign, may suffer, the loss of vessels, cattle, and other agricultural produce, goods, etc. To this communication the British agent and consul-general sent the following reply: Sir: VIXEN, ST. JOHN'S, As your government had invested you with no power to recognize the authority of the King of Mosquito at the mouth of the St. John's or to enter into any amicable arrangements for a mutual and beneficial intercourse between the port and the interior, and more particularly as you refused to admit the right of the King to be recognized as an independent Prince, you removed all basis for negotiations. Assuming for the sake of argument that the King's right could be disputed and that the Spanish Sovereigns had a right of dominion, from absolute possession, over the territory in question, it would appear that that right devolved upon New Granada1 rather than upon Central America, for under the colonial régime, the jurisdiction over this territory was finally restored to New Granada by Royal letters patent dated 30th November, 1803.2 1 Present Colombia. ... 2 Order of the King of Spain, Nov. 30, 1803. "The King has |