Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-13
THE HONDURAS INCIDENT.
The Official Correspondence Throws New
Light on the Firing.
The American Captain Refused to Re-
ceive a Protest-Afterward the Bat
teries Shelled the Boat.

The official correspondence in regard to
the firing by the Honduras authorities on
the Pacific mail steamer Costa Rica in the
port of Amapala, Honduras, November 8.
throws new light on the matter and shows
that the American commander was really
to blame. When Capt. Villela Of Amapala
was informed that Bonilla, a Honduran fu-
gitive. was aboard the steamer, bound for
Guatemala, he informed Dictator Vasquez.
The latter ordered him to extradite Bonilla
Capt Dow refused to give up Bonilla.
Whereupon Vasquez sent this dispatch:
Protest against the attitude of the steam
er captain resisting my governments de-
mand. and request him to admit service on
this protest by signing it,
The captain refused to sign this docu-
ment. Then Vasquez ordered Villela to pre-
sent the protest second and third time.
Then" the dispatch added, IF he still per-
sists in refusing. give him his clearing papers.
and If. in defiance of our laws. he then at
tempts to sail from the bay. do your duty
and detain him by force. You can use all
the means in your power to detain the
steamer in port-as last resort. the ar
tillery."
Many Guns Fired.
Villela replied that Capt. Dow neither
and he asked whether he should lombard
the steamer. as he was advised this act
might entail serious consequences. Word
came from vasquez to fire on her-if he had
not the courage to do so another COM
mander would be appointed
The only thing that saved the passengers
was nightfall. Twenty-one guns were fired,
but in the dark they could not hit the
steamer.
The story as given out to the American
press declared that the captain of the
Costa Rica had his clearance papers, and
was fully justified in leaving port.
This official correspondence shows clear
ly that he had no right to leave without
signing this service of protest. which would
not have compromised his company or this
government.
That there is evidently something radi-
cally defective in the above statement is
clear.
Honduras ApoloEized.
Regardless of the comparatively unimport-
ant point of whether or not the Costa Rica
secured clearance papers. it is a matter of
fact that the Honduran government apol-
ogized for it's action in this case and the
matter is regarded on both sides as "a
closed incident" The President gives a
brief account of this incident in his last
annual report to Congress, as follows:
Upon receiving authentic Information of
the firing upon an American mail steamer
touching at the port of Amapala, because
her captain refused to deliver up a pas
senger in transit from Nicaragua to Guate-
mala upon demand of the military authori-
ties of Honduras, our minister to that
country under instructions protested against
the wanton act and demanded satisfaction.
The government Of Honduras, actuated by
a sense of justice, and in spirit of the
utmost friendship, promptly disavowed the
illegal conduct OF its officers. and expressed
sincere regret for the occurrence.
1T Is confidently ar ticipated that a salts
factory adjustment Will soon be reached of
the questions arising out OF the seizure and
Honduras and the subsequent denial by the
successful government Of commercial priv
ileges to those vessels on that account"