New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-16
TROUBLE FOR COLOMBIA.
INTERNATIONAL QUESTIONS MAY ARISE.

DEATH. 1MpRu soNMENr AND LOSS FOLLOW THE
RETENTION OF 4 NORWEGIAN STEAMER
To avoid crossing that treacherous bar at the
mouth of tho Magdalena RIVER down In Colombia
,h. officers of the Norwegian steamer Antonio
zambrano endured persecution and priva'ion, and
s-ollv cut the cables OF the vessel, left her an
- o, the bottom Of the stream and sailed away
,,.i,hou, discharging the cargo. The captain and
s,,,sral Of the crew of the Zambrano drowned
,,be exploring the shifting and treacherous shoals
.. tho mouth of the Magdacna- Some of the
oro, were imprisoned, and were it not for tie
,r,nt action of Captain krogh the steamer
xould be detained to-day in Colombian waters.
The treatment which the Antonio ZambranO re-
csived at the hands Of the Colombian authorities
may result in serious international complications.
Tbe Norwegian Government, undc. whose flag the
Antonio Zambrano sailed, will undoubtedly de-
mand reparation, and the American consignors
AZ the cargo have filed claim for $4,000 dam
ages against the Colombian Republic
Captain Krogh. under whose command the Fam
brana arrived at this port Sunday, told Yesterday
the story of the suffering which le and his crew
had undergone. The Zambrano left Philadelphia
December 2, 1892, bound for Baianquilla, Colorl-
bia. She WAS laden with coal and resn and her
cargo was consigned to Raphael Salcedo. The
& Co., of No. is Broadway. She was chartered
BY IL. y. ilowes & Co, of Philadelphia, and sub
chartered by Mecke & Co. The steamer reached
the mouth of the Magdalena River late i'll Janu-
sry. The town of BaraEquilla Is situated fifteen
miles from the mouth Of the river. Formerly
number OF steamers went up TO the town, but
OF late years the bar has shifted that the stream
is not navgable for large steamers. The treach-
erous bar is known to mariners as the Cemetery
Of Shipping
The people of Baranqula want the Colombian
Government to remove the bar. Salcedo. the man
10 whom the cargo of the Zambrano was consigned,
insisted that the steamer should 90 into the river.
Captain Boe. who was in command, said that it
would be impossible for him to cross the bar. and
offered TO discharge the cargo at Savanilla, and to
sent it by rail 10 Baranquia at the ships eN-
pense. Salcedo would not listen TO such propo-
sition, and reported the case TO the Colombia
authorities The customs officials refused to per-
nit the captain OF the vessel TO discharge the
cargo. and ordered him TO proceed up the river
under the penalties of fines and imprisonment.
Captain Boe, Captain Jansen, an insurance un
Gerwrter, and a shore crew of six men started up
the river in small boat 10 examine the bar.
The boat was capsized and the men were caught
in the treacherous currents and drowned.
First Officer Stubs, upon whom devolved the
command of the vessel, was arrested and lm-
prisoned, and the authorities said that unless the
steamer crossed the bar u fire of $4,000 would
be levied The officials refused TO permit the crew
of the steamer TO get provisions and water, and
men on the Norwegian vessel we're compelled t0
depend upon the charity OF passing vessels FOR
supplies For weeks the steamer lay near the en-
trance TO the river unable to move.
The Colombian officials mad taken away the &C. |
ia ,ksn~ and
then stationed guard to watch tire helpless YES
sell
The agents Of the steamer i'll this city sent |
Captain Krogh TO Colombia with orders to take |
command of the steamer and secure her release. |
Captain Krogh went to Bogota and secured an
of prison. Stubbs had suffered terribly while in |
prison, and had i not been for United states
Consul Niehaus at Puerto Colombia he' would
have starved. Captain Krogh |
finally secured the release of the steamer
and get his papers When il was thought
that the troubles Of the Zamblano were over and
officers and crew were rcloicug, Captain krogh
faw a tugboat coming toward the steamer. Sne
was loaded with soldiers. and at the bow was
customs officer who had made himself obnoxious
by his misdirected zeal:
The Zambrano then had her eccentric rods back,
her machinery had been repaired and there was
plenty of steam. 1t was the work of a minute to
cut the cables. which held the anchors and the
Zamtrano gave defiant whistle and put to sea.
The agents OF the Iamorano ,di were much alarmod
Secretary Of State Gresham and had just pre-
pared memorial stating their grievance, VIXEN
they received word by cable from Captain Krogh
that the steamer had sailed The coal and resin
remained in the hold, and when the Zambrano
arrived here there little for the local customs
officers TO do.
w W. Hurlbut a. Co. say that their loss is $50
O00 and they will bring action against the Colon
bian Government 10 recover that amount. Cap
tain krogh SAYS that between the jealousy Of South
American towns and the demands Of backmailing
Colombian officials. he subjected to every
insult. The Norwegian Government has the mat
ter also under investigation.