[XV-29] The population about 1804 was set down at not more than 200 white persons, 500 free colored, and 3,000 negro slaves. The white pop. gradually decreased. In 1827-8, the pop. was between 5,000 and 6,000; in 1838, 8,000; in 1850, 15,000; in 1863, 25,000. Squier's Cent. Am., 587-8; Dunn's Guat., 13-14; Osborne's Guide, 234; Valois, Mexique, 150; Pim's Gate of the Pac., 20. The town of Belize, at the mouth of the river of the same name, generally has 6,000 inhabitants. The dwellings of the wealthy class are large and comfortable. Besides the govt houses, court-house, barracks, and jail, there are several churches, episcopal, methodist, baptist, and presbyterian, and some large and costly fire-proof warehouses. The town has experienced two destructive conflagrations, one in 1854 and another in 1863. Packet Intelligencer, June 17, 1854; Guat., Gaceta, Sept. 7, 22, 1854; La Voz de Méj., May 9, 1863.
[XV-30] It was effected without disturbance, and attended with the happiest results. Crowe's Gospel, 205.
[XV-31] Much smuggling was carried on to and from it.
[XV-32] Annals Brit. Legis., iii. 368; v. 263; vii. 228; x. 386-7; 391-2; xii. 139-40; xiv. 304; U. S. Comm. Rel., 1863-77, passim. The Encyclop. Brittan., xii. 136-7.
[XV-33] He concluded to proceed to Jamaica for further instructions. El Revisor, Jan. 5, Feb. 16, 1850; Hond., Gaceta Ofic., Oct. 19, 1849.
[XV-34] Chatfield, the Brit. chargé, was present at the act. Id., Nov. 30, 1849; Stout's Nic., 278; Salv., Gaceta, Feb. 15, 1850. The object of the seizure was to secure Honduras' proportion of the indebtedness of Cent. Am. to Brit. creditors.
[XV-35] Under a convention in three articles concluded at Leon Sept. 28, 1849. The cession was for 18 months, and had been made known the same date to all diplomatic agents in Cent. Am. Hond., Gaceta Ofic., Oct. 19, 1849; Nic., Cor. Ist., Nov. 16, 1849. The corresp. of the govt of Hond. with the Brit. chargé appears in Cent. Am. Correspond., Isla de Tigre, 1-8; Cent. Am., Miscel. Doc., nos. 21, 25, 28; U. S. Govt Doc., Cong. 31, Sess. 2, Sen. Doc. 43, 1-26; Id., Cong. 31, Sess. 1, H. Jour., 1739, 1801.
[XV-36] Nic., Cor. Ist., Jan. 16 and suppl., Feb. 16, 1850.
[XV-37] 1st. Great Brit. recognized the independ. of Hond. as a sovereign republic, pledging her good offices to avert any attempts against that independ. Hond. at this time was a member of a confederacy with Salvador and Nicaragua, and was made to bind herself not to dispose of any portion of her territory before she had definitely settled Brit. claims. 2d. Hond. was to accredit within six months a commissioner in Guat. to conclude a treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation with G. Brit. 3d. Hond. recognized the indebtedness of $111,061. 4th. She bound herself to pay that sum in yearly instalments of $15,000 at Belize. The other articles were of less importance. Salv., Gaceta, Apr. 5, 1850; Hond., Ligeras Observ., 1-10.
[XV-38] Jáuregui, March 24, 1850, in a pamphlet issued at Leon, defended his conduct, alleging that he had ample powers. Justific., in Cent. Am. Pamph., i. no. 7.