Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-16
A LESSON NEEDED.
And Uppish Little Hayti Is
Likely to Receive It.
Minister Powell Gives Them Plain
Talk in Navahoe Case
And the UItimatum Will Probably Cause Hayt
to Seek Retirement

| ISOLATED Prcss.)
Port au Prince Hayti, May 8.-Ont
would say that ultimatuns addressed
| to the Haytian government tickle it!
| sense of Importance and are a luxury
that it dotes on. Minister Powell gave
the foreign office IS hours in which t.
signify its intention of carrying OUT
the provisions Of the treaty of 1864
With equal emphasis he has just re-
piled to a communication Of NJ. Brutus
ST. Victor, the foreign minister, on the
subject of fine Illegally levied on Tho
clyde steamer Navahoe, formerly til,
Thurngla.
The charge against the Navahoc was
Of purely technical character and was
no doubt simply concocted by the
lower officers for the sake Of a possible
division of spoil. The Thuringia
brought to the port Of Miragoane three
barrels Of merchandise. the marks On
which did not exactly correspond with
those on the manifest. The correct
duty was paid on them, however.
Nevertheless. on July IS last, the
customs chief at Miragoane formulated
a complaint against the vessel. 1t il
alleged by the clyde officers that he
had previously endeayored TO obtain a
considerable gratuity from the COM
pany
The technical irregularity in regard
to the three barrels Of merchandise
MAS used M him as b pretext for his
corrupt demand Nothing was paid
him ana the steamship was nominally
seized and Il fine Of 500 imposed upon
her owners.
The ccmpany's representative at
Mlragoane stood firm. and the company
appealed 10 the American state de-
partment through its travelling agent,
Mr. Hachtmann. Mir. Powell. at his
special request, opened a correspon
donce with the Haytian government on
the subject and asked that it make a
thorough investigation of the case be
fore arriving at a final determination
in regard to it, Mr.. Powell upon study
ing it himself found that the agents
explanation Of the difficulty was entire
~ correct.
The charge made by the officer Of the
customs was attempted smuggling.
The penalty which was levied was
many times the value Of the goods.
NJ. Powell asked the Haytian govern
ment to furnish him with copies Of the
alleged faulty invoices. This it re-
fused to do. He obtained them, how
ever, from the Clyde Co.
About Dew u last, the government
threatened to take final possession Of
the vessel unless the fine was paid.
The American minister informed the
minister of finance through the foreign
minister that the vessel must not be
seized She was at that time proceed
ing to this port. The government
yielded So far as to modify its previous
orders. telcgraphing Immediately to
Cape Hayticn that the Navahoe was
not TO he molestcd.
The affair was thus adjourned, as
Mr.. Powell supposed, until he could
receive the papers in the case They
reached him only two weeks ago and
he submitted them. together with his
conclusions thereon, TO the minister Of
finance through the foreign minister.
4 day or two ago he received reply
stating that the Haytian government
regarded the whole affair as having
been closed early in January. and that
it did rot propose to reopen it and
would not remit the fine, and that il
this was not paid it would lay hands
on the vessel.
In q letter to the foreign minister.
dated May ,, 1898. in reply to the com
munication, Mr. Powell pronounced the
fine illegal and he declared that but for
| a technicality the manifest's invoices
were entirely regular. He dWelt upon
the failure Of The government to fur
nish information in regard to the case,
as requested by him. the representative
of a friendly nation Immediately inter
| csted in it. and at the conclusion he
uses this unmistakable language:
This fine imposed by the customs
| authorities cf Miragoane, will not be
| paid by MI. Clyde, and in the event OF
| any vessel belonging to the Clyde Line
| being seized and held for the payment
of this sum, shall demand it's instant
release and shall claim sufficient dam
| ages from the Haytian government 70
| cover the loss sustained by Clyde &
! Co. or that they may suffer by its de-
| tenticn. This indemnity l shall de-
mand prompt payment. With this, sir,
| | desire you to understand that the in