The sun., 1890-01-01
ARMED TO RESIST CAPTURE.
vr1 YORK MERCHANTS AT WAR NTH
TUE United STATES OF COLONIAL.

,,...,t sle1gursa OF American Trading Yes
al. nv the Gunboat La PoPn-Eho
xVh,,rord Seat 20 Colon with OpaerS
"a obey tho Lew Aud Maintain Her ewn.
Tho firm of l.. Scheff & Co., importers at
1as Duane street. has declared war aEainsl the
TTn,ted States OF Colombia. At least they haTo
s.nt an armed yessel to Colon and the coast OF
p.nama with instructions to make forcihlo
,,,.lstanoe II the gunboat La Popa, which has
rss.ntly seized several trading vessels. should
attempt TO interfere with her. Matters hare
h.sn brought to this crisis by the high-handsd
act,nn OF the Colombian authorities with refer
snce TO the American trade along the San
plas coast. Merchants In New York, Philadel-
mia. Boston, and Baltimore have q ttade
Amounting to several millions annually With
the Indians OF the 1sthmus 100 to 200 miles
aouth o. Colon. A great variety OF miscellaneous
goods is sent them in exchange for cocoanuts,
ivory nuts tortoise shells. rubber, DC.
law OF the United Statos OF Colombia, en-
acted in 1888, makes the ports Of the Isthnus
free. Duties are imposed only at CsrthaRDnS
and certain other so-oalled habilitated psrts
an the South American coast The law re-
oures vessels which desire to trade at the
smsll ports along the Isthmus to enter the
mort Of Colon flrst and for statistical purposes,
10 take out license. The cost OF the trading
lioense is about $50. American trade has been
increasing OF late years along this coast, and
hns been driving out the slow Spaniards Of
Carthsgena and other places. These Spanish
merchants have influence with the local or
national authorities, and they hit upon plan
10 retrieve their waning fortunes. They res
urrectsd O long obsolete law. passed more
than half century ago, which they construed
TO REQUIRE all coast-trading vessels to 20 flrst
10 Carthagena. there discharge their cargoes,
nav heavy duties and then reload and retraoe
their course TO the San Bias or other trading
points along tho lsthmus. Such requirement
would. Of ofcourse, mean death to American trade.
No notice Of any change was given the
American traders, and the seizure OF vessel
was the first knowledge they gained Of what
was on foot. The first ship seized was the
schooner Pearl. belonging to James Heron Of
"A Water street. this city. The Pearl was cap
tured by La Popa on the San Bias coast on Oct.
z She was taken to Carthagena and held sub
jeet to conflscation for smuggling In her case
Il was thought to be not improbable that she
bad neglected to take out q license at Colon.
Captains OF trading vessels sometimes neglect
70 do this. partly because it takes them out Of
their way and puts them to what they consider
guilty in this respect MT: Heron, does not
that inquiry in his replies. The Pearl is still
hold at Csrthagena but Mr.. HERON expects to
cargo He has Instructed his Captain to settle
on the best terms possible. He has not applied
to the State Department to secure redress, be-
cause the vessel sailed under the English flag.
Application was made to the English Vice.
Consul at CGrthegena, who has been in corre-
spondence with his superiors. but nothing has
The seizure OF the Pearl did not cause much
Shrm among the other merchants in the trade.
allure to comply with the license require
julian and Willie, both owned BY FE92ster 4
d THE Sun q few days ago. The Willie sailed
iAe Dominican. The latter is an American
eailt vessel and y engaged solely In Amert-
! The date Of tie seizure Of the While has not
VT been learned. but the Julian was CAPTURED
bgthe officers Of La Popa on Dec. q Both yes:
had M he
6In Bias points when seized. The Captain Of
tho gunboat visited tho Captain OF the Julian
Esro exhibited and were pronounced all right;
The next day the Captain OF La Popa boarded |
thY Julian, and declared her under seizure.
What for p demanded the Captain.
We WON'T discuss that. You are all prison. |
etA and will 70 with US to Carthagena," was
"a Ropa is not very formidable gunboat.
about loo tons. 1t Is said she. was formerly
81 this city and that he sold her to the Colom- |
bian Government to be used as coast cruiser.
The Julian could probably have resisted can
owner is very sorry she didn't. The Indians
with whom the ship was trading were evenl nlmore
Indignant at the seizure than the, oftcers.
bladed knives, used to cut bunches Of bananas
rom the trees; The Indians begged the Cap
hORFd thu DnnhnuT AVArVhnnY
% board; There were enough Of the half
breeds to have carried out the threatit they had
preferred to submit, The gunboat carried
aaWser aboard the schooner and set out to tow
Before startiDg. the Captain and some men
rom the guDboat came aboard and proposed
Q carry ava; the sails OF the Julian 30 that she
= ;9ed sE1. not possibly essape The crew re6ellsd
attempted TO lower a sail. Tho attempt was
rot made. The Julian was towed to Carthagena,
rev prisoners in charge Of Keepers on board
y her. Her cargo. which is perishable. Is
ISepidly S spelling and there is, no prospect Of
aQn Learning Of the action OF the Colombian
egthoEitiss Foster 4 Co, sent the schooner
Edith 4 Coombs under the American nag to
gSas which the Julian would have taken. Tho
Soonps went to Colon for her license. and she
son nGo fosts sesf ey the for what rea
ierS laid before the State Department at
Y nasnlhRIon several days ago. and application
sAs maae LOT The active interference OF the
toyernment When the embargo was placed
a the Edith b. Coombs Mr.. Foster telegraphed
o Mr.. Blaine as follows:
NEW YoRK, Dec. 80
. ue Ao"oTaoe Seer<tdTv or StdtS Washington. D. c.:
A1pinW4n authorities refuse 10 DESPATCH American
enooner Edlth CoombS 10 secure our goods WING on
AN Bias coast NotA trading vessel hui chartered 10
Ihnhgort our pfoperV home. Delay very expsnsiyo
Iindly wire us what to inSIuet master OF vessel
FosrER 4 Co.
No reply has yet been received from the state
)epartment - >--'
"The outrageous action OF the Colombian
ntholities IN selling our vessels has already
ng 10 get redress or recover our vessels. II
ur government won't protect The interests Of
9 citizens trading In foreign Nports. atnnd
oady 70 protect our own intcreas I've 9ot a
rev all ready to send to CarthaPena and re-
npture those vessels. They will ke able IN do
too. IL the authorities at washington dont
lqve In the matter right away I'S Going To
sk Mr. III Blaine II he has any obJections TO our |
ending down there and recovering our prom
rty. Might makos right In dealing Win sueh
lem according TO that rule" "''A
l. Sehen d co. have promptly taken thu law ,
ITO their own hands, without botherinp With |
10 slow processes OF tho state DepartmaA NJ