Ностромо

           Butintheend,duringthelongturmoilofpronunciamentosthatfollowedthedeathofthefamousGuzmanBento,thenativeminers,incitedtorevoltbytheemissariessentoutfromthecapital,hadrisenupontheirEnglishchiefsandmurderedthemtoaman.ThedecreeofconfiscationwhichappearedimmediatelyafterwardsintheDiarioOfficial,publishedinSta.Marta,beganwiththewords:“Justlyincensedatthegrindingoppressionofforeigners,actuatedbysordidmotivesofgainratherthanbyloveforacountrywheretheycomeimpoverishedtoseektheirfortunes,theminingpopulationofSanTome,etc....”andendedwiththedeclaration:“ThechiefoftheStatehasresolvedtoexercisetothefullhispowerofclemency.Themine,whichbyeverylaw,international,human,anddivine,revertsnowtotheGovernmentasnationalproperty,shallremainclosedtillthesworddrawnforthesacreddefenceofliberalprincipleshasaccomplisheditsmissionofsecuringthehappinessofourbelovedcountry.”

           AndformanyyearsthiswasthelastoftheSanTomemine.WhatadvantagethatGovernmenthadexpectedfromthespoliation,itisimpossibletotellnow.Costaguanawasmadewithdifficultytopayabeggarlymoneycompensationtothefamiliesofthevictims,andthenthematterdroppedoutofdiplomaticdespatches.ButafterwardsanotherGovernmentbethoughtitselfofthatvaluableasset.ItwasanordinaryCostaguanaGovernment—thefourthinsixyears—butitjudgedofitsopportunitiessanely.