THE ALLIES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16207, 9 May 1918, Page 7

THE ALLIES.

NICARAGUA JOIN-> IN

(By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright.) (Australian and X.Z. Cable Asaccintiou.) (Received May Bth, 0.0 p.m.)

WASHINGTON, May 7. Nicaragua has declared war on Germany.

Nicaragua is a Central American republic. bounded on the north by Honduras, south by Costa Rica, west*by the Pacific, and east by the. Caribbean* Sea. It has an area 01 40,0LU .-.quai <.■ miles with a population of dOO,COU consisting mainly of Indians and mixed races with, very few Europeans. The prevailing religion is Roman Catholic and primary instruction is nominally tree and compulsory. Military service is obligatory. The culture of the land is improving; coffee is by far the most important article grown, but the banana trade and cocoanut plantations are increasing. •Some gold mining is also done in tho Matagolfa and Chontales districts. Some £500,000 of British capital is invested in various undertakings, mostly on the Pacific side, the Atlantic side being more or less monopolised by Americans. AN ECONOMIC OFFENSIVE, (llcater's Telegrams.) PARIS, May 7The Cabinet has renounced all Commercial conventions containing a general clause regarding tho most favoured nations. This is regarded as a further economic menace against Germany.