Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-02-25
Central America.

New YORK, Feb. 25.-The Panama Star
and Herald of February 18th, ust received.
says: Messrs Contreras and Rodas, two NOM
bcrs OF the party who took possession OF the
American schooner Sunbeam, at Port LlmoD,
90 the lst instant, called upon US on the 18th
and stated that their action was solely prompt
ed By the instinct Of self preservation, and was
not in any manner intended as an act of piracy.
They slate that they were pursued by supe.
ror force. aud that 1t was q matter OF lille and
death. Under these circumstances they assert
that they offered the captain OF the schooner
money to take them away, which he refused,
and that they then took possession Of the vessel
by q show of force, but did no voence to per-
son or property by so doing, and meant 20 IN.
suit to the United States.
The Panama Star and Herald of February
18th says: We have received communication
from respected correspondent in Guatemala
in which tho official conduct Of the United
States Minister is complained of and severely
criticised 1t is not the first intimation which
has reached us to the effect that the officer re-.
ferred to has succeeded in rendering himself
unpopular with his countrymen and the public
| of Central America. We do not feel called up
on to publish the specific allegations brought
against him. but 10 our position as impartial
journalists it becomes necessary to take note OF
repeated charges affecting the conduct Of pub
| lie servant who occupies the important position
of Uoited States Minister to the republics of
| Central Amerio,, with whom it is The interest
of the country he represents 10 maintain and
foster the most friendly relations Instead of
! seeking cause for quarrel the Minister ought to
| be imbued with sufficient wisdom, or at least COM
mon prudence, to avoid all show of luminosity,
and to act 10 manner which would conciliato
and please the government and people to whom
be is accredited. That such has net been the case
We regret to say there has been sufficient evil
dence TO prove 10 the case Of Mr.. Williamson.
Our readers will remember the Eisenstuck bust
ness and the part he played on the occasion Of
the visit of tho German Charge Affairs and
himself to the Nicaragua capital. Without
rhyme or reason he left Nioaraguan and made
| such representations TO his Government that
without positive evidence to the contrary, VIC
must conclude that President Hayes was led
into the remarkable error when reporting his
message to Congress, under date of December
81, of saying that friendly relations had been
| interrupted with Guatemala when BIO evidently
meant Nicaragua. There has not been any other
cause of disagreement within our Knowledge
and that one should have been avoided. AS far
as Guatemala is concerned it is very much to
be regretted that tho world should have been
misintormed 10 50 grave a document as the
Presidents message that relations had been
broken off when such was not the case.
New YORK, Feb. 25.-Accounts from Caao,
Peru, 9th effects of the tidal wave there on
the 9th Of January, say the alarm is indescrib.
able and the damage inoalculabe. The
oldest inhabitants Of Callao state that
they have never seen anything to compare
with the scenes of Sunday and Monday, j anus.
~ 9th and 2Sth. The sea is covered with
floating debris At every moment immense
waves of thirty and forty feet high break over
the mole and along the whole coast line, spread
ing havoc and destruction around. Most of the
modern structures inside the moes built 10,
the use of the Pacific Steam Navigation Com
pany and for other purposes have been swept
: away or broken up. Two thousand tons of Goa
for the Eoglish Company has disappeared and
the merchandise on the dock has been complete
" ruined. The wheat mole. the Chucinto mole
tho property of the Muee Darsena, land Meigg
. mole arc destroyed. The various timber yards
coal deposits aud bathing establishments hav,
been greatly damaged. The railroad runnin,
| from the dock to Chuciuto has been completed,
: undermined. Eight persons were drowned
. At Pisaqua the condenser was broken to piece
: and considerable quantity of coal and salt
petre lost. At lquique the earthquake shocl