The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-01
GAME OF GRAB FOR GUAN0.
AMERICANS SEIZE AN ISLAND OFF
THE COAST OF MEXICO.


Mexican GunbOat COmpeIs Them to
Lower the Stars and Stripes ana
Run Up the Mexican FIag-The
Yankees Had CooIIy Appropriated
Everything in Sight and Proceed
ed to Establish Themselves Permn-
nentIy-Watcr From a Valcan0 to
BE Utilized TO Furnish Power for
Cotton Mills.
Mexico City, Dec. 31.-Ofcial intelligence
received from Mazatan shows that when
the Mexican gunboat El Democrata ar
rived at CHpperton Island, which is 80
miles west of Acapulco, it was found that
a party of Americans had raised the
American flag and had coolly appropriated
all the guano beds which they were oper-
ating. They had built houses and perma-
nently established themselves.
The El Democratic had a very stormy
passage and found The island very difficult
Of access. and a boat load of Mexican
marines was upset in going through the
surf the men losing their rifles and
swords. They saved themselves by swim
ming, and a Mexican flag was carried
ashore by Julian Santos, the stoker of the
gunboat who ran the risk of being de-
youred by the sharks that abouno in these
waters.
Capt. Genesta ordered the American flag
hauled down. and the Mexican flag was
raised there being little protest on the
part of the Americans representing a
guano exploring company This formality
having been accomplished, the gunboat re-
turned to Mazatlan.
Representations showing that the action
Of the guano company is one of mere
usurpation will be made. Clipperton ISL
and is undoubtedly in Mexican territory,
although not settled by Mexican. There
has been no excitement over the matter
Pedro Escuero, who was minister of JUS
tee during the empire of Maximilan and
who was the author of a civil CODE one
of the most eminent of AIexico's jurists,
died to-day at the age of so. He was a
native OF Yucatan. One. of the most con-
spicuous service of this eminent jurist was
! in connection with the reciprocity treaty
with the United States, he being presi-
delt of the commission which favorably
reported on it.
The waterfall on the side of the volcano
of Popocatapell, nearest to the city of
Puebla fed by the SHOWS of that noun
tain, will be used to furnish power to cot
ton mills.
San Diego Cal, Dec. S1-The steamer
Albion arrived yesterday from months
cruise down the coast, and her passengers
tell of a rather high-handed proceeding
at Clipperton Island, on the part of the
Mexican gunboat Democratic, which went
to that island 10 haul down the stars and
stripes, and landed an armed force for
that purpose, in spite of the protests of
the men there employed.
our trip down the coast as far as Santo
Domingo was devoid of any particular in
cident," said Rebie Howard one of the
passengers. ''On our return we took on a
sailor az Acapulco and from him l learn
ed that he had been brought to that port
by the Mexican gunboat Dernocraia from
Clipperton Island. He with two other
men, had been employed by an American
guano company to take charge of about
1900 tons of guano that was stored i'm the
warehouse on the island, and when they
were landed there, some nine months ago,
they hoisted the American flag and noti-
fed the Secretary of State of their action.
On Dec. II, the Democrata dropped an
chor a short distance from the shore and
sent a boats crew of marines to the is
land. After an official ceremony the stars
and stripes were hauled down from the
fagpole that had been erected by the
Americans, and in its place the Mexican
flag was hQisted.
Having taken formal possession of the
island, the marines Withdrew and notified
the men who remained on the island not
to allow any one to take away the guano
under penalty of violating the Mexican
laws.
THE island is about thirty miles off the
Mexican coast. and is the home of mill
ions of sea fowl. Thousands of tons of the
richest guano is to be found on the island
and represents its sole worth.
When the marines landed to take pos
session of the island in behalf of Mex
ico they We're fully armed and prepared
to do battle with whatever resistance
might be offered