Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-02
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
THE TOWN BURNED DUTsISG. 81
TWO DAYS BATTLE.

OHus GCHRNoM Aub0p&AASu To BAG6 as ~
Result OF the Conhlct-Many OF FMS
Men Killed and Captured-Se SecretarSl
Whitney About TO Send TroOps'tO ths
scene.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-The following
dispatch from Commander Kane, OF the
Galina, was received to-day by the SecrA.
tary of the Navy.
Aspinwall is in ashes. IT. was burned t>yi
the Insurgents to escape capture ty tbSg
government troops. The Pacific Mail doce.i
the railroad property ON the north end Of tlsS
iAand and the canal property at CriEpol arg
the only buildings saved. shipping is safs. u
have all my force OnshOre protecting prOperty-I
My ship IS crowded with refugees. Thousands
are destitute aud without shelter.
A dispatch, has been received at ttsA
ofllcerof the Panama Railroad Compane
at New York city, which gives the fo7.3
lowing account of the destructionyof As,
pinwall "The revoludonists hav,
destroyed Aspinwal by fire. Tha
wharf of the Pacific Mail Steamship
Companyris.the only one which remainsi
standing. TheshOps and property ON tlfgA
beach aresayed. Stop all freights. We
need sixwharf building gangs, materiaN
for the construction of wharfs, pile
driversyetc. Charter steamer and suEsl
ply it with ample provisions to sustain
gangs while at work. Communication
with PanamahaS been entirely cut OFF,
THE CABINETS CONCLUSIONS. =
The Aspinwall difficulty was discussed
at a conference this afternoon betweeu
Secretaries Bayard and Whitney, Mrt
Adee of the State Department and Coms
modore Walker being present. Mr..
Bayard, at the request of Mr.. Whitney,3
defined the treaty responsibilities of the
United States in'this matter. MIR. Bayarh
then went to see the President, and late
this evening an informal meeting of tine
Cabinet was held at the White House, az
which the matter was fully discussed-l
| The conclusion reached aE this meetinss
was that while this government is no.
| called upon to take cognizance of Internal
broils ut Panama, yetit has by treaty.
| guaranteed free and uuinterruptedt tRansiB
across the isthmus.
TROOPS ODE SENT.
Acting upon this conclusion Secretary
Whitney tO-niant telegTapned orders 10
the commuudant Oi the Brooklyn navy
yard to get all the ava5lable marines ae
The yard in readiness for immediate de-
parture, and to provide also some Gatlingi
guns and men 60 handle them. He alsuI
sent the following dispatch to j. B.j
Houston, President of the Pacific Maif
/ Company at New York:
''The government proposes to havetrans
sit from Panama to Colon open and unI8ss
terrupted III the shortest possible time. fn
order that your c0mpany may avail itseif
OF the advantages Of this action o few days
/ delay of your steamer to receive a ships
| ment of armed forces Will benecessaTys
! How many can you t8kego
MORE IAFORMATION ASKED.
Secretary Whitney has also telegraphetf
/ Capt. Kane, of the Galens, at Colon, and
Consul Adamson, at Panama. tor further
| information as to the c0udibiOD Of the
railroad and steamship property, and
whether transit ACROSS the isthmus re-
mains open. He said tonight that If their
replies TO these dispatches confirm pres
ent advices the men and guns from tha
Brooklyn navy yard would be forwarded
Immediately. He said further that the
United States steamers Alliance and
Swatara are now en- route for C0lon--tho
Alliance from Key Weetand the SWatara
fromNew Orleans.
PRESTON TAKES TO FLIGHT.
PANAMA, April 2, 2 A. M-Communica-
tiOn with .AsplnWau has been reOpened8
A force sent from here attacked Gem
Preston on the afternoon-Of March 30 and
drove back a small outpost. On the morn
Eing of March 81 the fight in the townOf AZ
pInwall commenced. CanpOns were used
aud the firing was heavy. While the fight
was in progress a fire, the origin oE
which is inot known, broke out
! in the town. Gen. Preston, when he saw
that defeat was inevitable, made his
escape. Manyof his men were killed ot
captured. The town.by this time was in
flames, and everything was swept away
save a few Of the Panama Railroad buiifs@
lngs on the north beach. All the piers eXl
cept the Pacific Mail Company's were
burned and all the railroad CONS
pany's books were lost. The
canal company saved its books anJ
100000 in specie. All the cars
on the tracks were destroyed. The new
town Of Christopher Columbus escaped
the flames. The suffering Is intense,
There is no water nor food to be had.
Three cars loaded with supplies leavs
mere tonight. Many Of the citizens are
utterly ruined. All is quiet in Panams.
Gen. AiZpuru will send troops to h0ad
Aspinwall and prevent expected pillages