St. Landry democrat., 1885-04-11
OFF FOR PANAMA.

for the Isthmus-Admiral Jouett's In
structiOns.
New York, April 4.-The embarkation
of the first detachment Of United States
troops sent to a foreign country for SER
vice since 1848, took place yesterday.
The Pacific mail steamship City OF Para
had swung at her anchorage III the lower
bay ever since she received orders to take
Government troops to the Isthmus OF
Panama, and her officers and men greet
ed the dawning of the day of her depart
ure with unmixed pleasure. The steam
ship had taken to herself new dis
tinction. She was no longer mere
vessel of the merchant SER
vice, but United States
transport. There had been sounds of
preparations all night. Heavy armored
chests were dragged here and there, and
cases of cutlasses and small arms were
slowed away for the use OF the United
States soldiers who will follow the ma
rines. Boxes OF clothing, soldiers Kits,
great bundles of canvas for tents, cases
and barrels of provisions, and all the
manifold evidences of preparation for
peaceful termination were scattered
about the decks.
Busy little maynard tugs had been
steaming alongside the long black hull of
the steamship all night with naval
stores and the energies of the men were
taxed to the utmost, but as morning
progressed the decks were gradually
cleared, the hum of preparation had died
AWAY, and the steamship was ready to re-
ceive the marines.
Meanwhile there had been but little
sleep at the navy yard. Preparations
were going on continually, despite the
rules governing the hours OF sleep and
rising The barracks were the places
where gossip was rife last night. 1t was
the first chance for service many of the
men had ever had, and the selected ones
were envied by their less fortunate COM
panions. It is said that every man at the
post volunteered to go on the expedition.
Large crowds of ladies and gentlemen
from this city and Brooklyn were present
to witness the departure.
Commodore Ralph Chandler was sa.
luted as the men passed him, and the
line of march was taken up to the tug
moored to the dock. There the men
quickly embarked amid many good-byes
and waving of handkerchiefs. The Off
GERS in command were Colonel Chas.
Haywood, Adiutant G. H. Ellsworth,
Captains Meeker, Pagan, Cochran and
Reid, and Lieutenants Kelton, Bergman,
Nicholson, Denny, Follett, Jackson and
Turner.
AS the line was cast off, the tug moved
quickly out into the stream, and the 200
soldiers on board broke forth in
A PROLONGED CHEER.
The cheer was repeatedly answered by
the people on shore. The tug headed
down the bay to transfer the men to
the steamship City of Para.
Hbe men all seemed in excellent hu-
NOR, and were a fine-looking body. All
were clothed in
ssHEAvY MARCHING ORDER"
They carried breech-loading rifles with
bayonets. A smaller tug took on board
the baggage of the troops and followed
the transport down the bay.
At about one O'Clock the gangway OF
| the steamship was lowered, and the
troops marched on board in double file
| They were Immediately assigned to their
quarters, and little after two O'Clock
the steamship weighed her anchors aud
dropped down the bay. As the tugs
| bearing the troops steamed toward the
ships, the vessels in their harbor dipped
| their flags, and the tugs answered the
| salutes by Whistling
Commander Chandler will send down
another detachment on Monday on the
| Acapulco 1t will number about 200 men,
Captain Reid, of the Boston Navy Yard,
who is going on Monday, says:
81 have spent a good deal of time in
| Panama, and hardly think there will be
any heavy fighting. The elements there
are rough, and are composed of the rag
tag and bobtail of everywhere. AS soon
as any one gets enough money to. hire
| sufficient number Of men he starts a rev.
olution and tries to seize the Govern
ment The armies are like mobs, and
have but little organization"
| INSTRUCTIONS TO REAR-ADMIRAL JoUETT.
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 4.-The fol-
lowing telegram, embodying the instruc-
tions of Secretary Whitney in regard to
the restoration of uninterrupted transit
across the isthmus was sent to the Navy
Department last night:
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 3, 1885,
Rear 4dnairal Jas. E. Jonett, o. ). S. 1ennes'
/ see, Pe1lsdS0t1, Fla.
| In addition to tile force under your COM
! mand IN the steamships Tennessee, Swatara,
/ Alliance and Gaena fail Of which should be
/ reinforced by about two hundred marines,
/ dispatched to-day from New York by the
! steamship City of Para, with tents and camp
I equipage to provide for contingencies. Fur
/ Their supplies will be sent ut once. The duty
you are called upon to perform calls
for the exercise of great discretion.
/ The object of the expedition Is
/ the performance by the United states OF
i their engagements to preserve the neutralt-
] ty of, and keep open the transit, from Colon
/ to Panama, and further to protect the lives
4 and property of American citizens.
The circumstances, as understood, from
which the necessity for the expedition mas
,r,r.c,