The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-14
ASYLUM ON OUR WARSHIPS.
The SalVadOTGalS to Be Put Ashore
When Order Is Restored.

The Government officials at WASH
ington Anxious Not to Establish a
Precedent phat Can Be Used Against
Us in Hawaii-The Commander of
the Bennington Anxious to Take the
Refugees to Panama or Put Them
Aboard Some Outward Bound Ves-
sci.
Washington, June 13.-It is stated on
authority that as soon as the new govern
ment in Salvador has fully established
itself and is able TO preserve law and
order, it is the intention of President
Cleveland to direct the surrender of the
refugees now on board the United States
steamship Bennington to the proper
judicial authorities. Not how
ever, without the fullest guarantees
on the part Of Salvador that the prisoners
shall be tried by an impartial tribunal,
organized in conformity with the consti-
tuition of the republic. According to the
latest dispatches from Commander
Thomas, there still exists throughout
Salv ador a state Of affairs but little re-
moved from anarchy and the members Of
the late government, who were given
asylum on the Bennington, would, in bis
opinion, be murdered without any for
malities whatever tho moment they
reached shore il he were compelled to
give them up.
THE CoMMANDER's WISHES.
IL is said Commander Thomas was anx-
ious for permission 10 take his refugees
to Panama on the Bennington, or TO put
them aboard some outward bound mer-
chant vessel, but was restrained from
this proceeding because this government
was opposed 10 establishing a precedent
in the matter of granting asylum. While
IL is true that the naval regulations con-
tain an ancient paragraph giving q COM
manding Ohicer certain discretion
/ TO act in the interest Of humanity
| in extraordinary contingencies, aud that
! Commander Thomas is, in all probability,
/ fully protected by that clause in the re-
| cent instance, IL IS also fact that very
| grave complications might result from g
! continuance of this old practice in mod
! ern times The difference between the
case in Brazil, where the refugees on the
| Portuguese ship were revolutionists and
| at la Libertad, where they were mem
| bers Of an overturned government, is con-
sidcred scarcely material.
AFRAID OF HAWAII
| The Hawaiian situation presents possi-
| bilities which the United States desires
to be prepared TO meet for in case OF
trouble there, the United States does not
want TO make II possible for British or
Japanese ships TO grant asylum.
Last night orders were cabled to the
| Charleston, at Callao, TO proceed to San
| Francisco, stopping at necessary inter-
mediate ports" La Lbertad, Salvador,
Is the first intermediate port she will
reach. and as IL is only 900 miles from
Callao, the eCharleston ought to reach there
by Saturday next. If her hull were not so
foul she could make the trip in less
than three days. The Salyadorean refu-
gees will be kept on the bennington until
the arrival Of the Charleston, when, as
there are more accommodations on the
larger ship they will probably be trans
ferred TO her, where they will remain
until the government Of Salvador Is or
ganized TO the satisfaction of the United
States, aud when there is no doubt that
the death penalty will not be reclklessly
pronounced, or that the prisoners can be
| fully protected from mob violence.
JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS.
Should the Salvadorean refugees bo
regularly indicted under proper judicial
procedure the courts Of the United States,
| upon receiving the warrant, would alone
be competent TO execute IL il the refugees
were within their jurisdiction. This
matter will not be permitted TO obscure
what is considered TO be the paramount
one, that of granting asylum.
Reports from Salvador this morning
show that the new government there Is
as far from stability as ever, and that the
considerations requisite for the delivery
of the Bennington's refugees are distant.
In the meantime the United States is
chatting under very embarrassing situa-
tiOn