42 Chapter 2
the British, who used the territory for the Hudson Bay Company, but northern Demo-
crats couched their calls in slogans like “54 40 or Fight!,” which brought up the pos-
sibility of war for both sides. That 54° 40 ' parallel was well within British-controlled
Canada. Fortunately, the United States was unwilling to challenge the British Empire
over an internally divisive issue, and the British were in no position to fight—Prime
Minister Peel’s government had become incredibly unpopular after its repeal of the
Corn Laws in 1846 that had subsidized domestic farmers. Both sides eventually turned
the issue over to negotiation, which resulted in the Oregon Treaty. The militarized dis-
pute itself manifested as border fortifications that took place during the rising tensions.
Coding changes: End Date changed from June 8, 1846.
MID#144
Dispute Number: 144
Date(s): July 13, 1854 to October 1854
Participants: 2 United States of America/200 United Kingdom
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: The Greytown government in Britain’s Mosquito Coast (present-day Nica-
ragua) tried to arrest an American for murder. The American minister refused to turn
the man over and was hit by a bottle during a demonstration. This only exacerbated
tensions between the Americans and locals after the British protectorate had tried to
raise taxes and duties on ships making use of the area to trans-navigate to California
across the Nicaragua route. An American ship was ordered to protect the Americans in
the area, and the American captain proceeded to attack the town and burn the British
consulate. The British responded with an increased naval presence in the Caribbean,
especially near their territories.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from July 9, 1854.
MID#380
Dispute Number: 380
Date(s): May 1856
Participants: 200 United Kingdom/2 United States of America
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: A British vessel boarded an American mail ship to ensure that the
Americans were not supplying rebels to Nicaragua. At the time, an American named
William Walker was trying to establish English-speaking colonies in Latin America
by freebooting—the unauthorized military expeditions of the time that led to numer-
ous insurrections. The British believed that Walker’s actions were endangering the
lives of British subjects in the region and tried to contain the insurgency. The United
States protested the stopping of the mail ship, and both countries increased their naval
presence in the Gulf of Mexico in shows of naval force.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from May 10, 1856. End Date changed from
May 31, 1856.