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The British had seized the Atlantic Ocean seaport of San Juan del Norte back in 1848, and were now posturing in the Nicaraguan area to oppose American commercial enterprise crossing the narrow isthmus connecting North and South America. For Easterners heading toward the west coast in the California gold rush, the short land link over to the Pacific complemented the lengthy sea routes traversed by fast clipper ships. During this year, after nasty folks at San Juan del Norte had damaged U. S. property and insulted the American minister to Nicaragua, cannon fire of the U. S. warship Cyane bombarded the place. Having just come from San Juan del Norte, the ocean vessel Northern Light, carrying 1767 91/95 tons, pulled into New York harbor on Friday, the 26th of May, with passengers bearing Anglo names. The steamship's master, Henry Churchill, was the same sea captain who had brought JOHN, MARY, and Magnus Taylor safely to New York from Glasgow aboard the sailing ship Harmonia driven by Atlantic Ocean winds less than four years earlier, back in mid-summer of 1850. |
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