The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-01
Extensive and Valuable Deposits Of GuanO
The Bone of Contention.
According 10 the American story the
Island Had Been worried for
Months-As tho Mcxicans Tell II,
tho Men Were Recent rnserIoprrs
There Is II Question Abouf the
Right OF Mexico 10 Seize tho Es>
land.
San Diego, Cal, Dec. 81, 1897.


The steamer Albion arrived to-day
from month cruise down the coast
Her passengers tell of a rather high
handed proceeding at Clippcrton Is
land on the part OF the Mexican gun
boat Democratic, being no less than the
hauling down of the Stars and Stripes
by an armed force landed for the pur-
pose, and in spite of the protests of
the men there employed, and the rais-
Ing OF the Mexican flag. The story
told is as follows:
Our trip down the coast as far as
Santo Domingo was void of any par
ticular incident" said Roscoe Howard,
one OF the passengers. 'On our return
we took on sailor at Acapulco, and
from him l learned that he had been
brought to that port by the Mexican
gunboat Democratic from Cllpper,on ls.
lanu. Hc, with two other men had
Dceh employed by II Euano- company IN
take charSe OF about 1000 tons of Euano
that was stored in the warehouses on
the Island, and when they were landed
ehere some nine months ago, they hoist
Gu the American flag and notified the
Secretary of State of their action. on
december 18th the Democratic droupcd
Nhchor short distance from The island
ana sent a boats crew of marines IN
ne Island. but on attempting To land.
tEe boat was dashed against n coral
reel ana suffered considerable damage.
FINALLY the marines were landed ana
after an official cerceltny. tho S;nrs
ana stripes were hauled down from the
nag pole that had been erected hv Tho
americans and In its place the Mexican
flag was hOistcd
having taken formal possession. the
marines withdrew ana notified The mon
VINO remained on the island not to all
low any one to take away the .ru,uo
under penalty OF violating the AIcyicnn
laws. The island is about 500 miles off
lie McSican coast, almost due west M
Acapulco. and is known as an atoll or
coral reef.
When the marines landed TO tal;e
possession oC the island in behalf or
MeNico' they were fully armed and pre-
pared to do battle with whatever resist
ance might be offered"
a MENICAN VERSION.
Mexico City. Dec. si.-oaicial intel
iisence received from Mazatliu shows
mat when the Mexican gunboat E,l
democratic arrived at Clipperton Is
iaha' winch is thirty miles west of
Acapulco, ii was found that n Darty of
americans had raised the American
nag ana coolly appropriated all Tho
guano beds where they were operating.
Ihey had built houses and permanently
established themselves
The Democratic had a very stormy
passage and found the island ns ycrv
dlihcult access. y boat load of AIcxI-
can marines was upset In getting
through the surf. the men losing thcir
fiiies and swords. They saved them
selves by swimming and Mexican na.,
was carried ashore by Julian Santos,
me stoker of the gunhoat, who ran the
FISK of being devourcd by Sharks that
abound In these waters.
Captain GencSti ordered the Ameri-
can iiag hauled down and the Mexican
nag was raised, there being LITTLE pro
test on the part of the Americans rep
resenting gnann exploring company.
This formalty having been ac
comp!ished. the gunboat returned TO
MaZatlan. There are about twenty
thousand tons of guano on the island
valued at 100000 in gold Representa-
tions showing that the action of the
guano company is one of mere usurpa
ton will be made Clippprton Island
is undoubtedly in Mexican territory. al
though not settled by Mcxicans. There
has been no excitement over the mat
ter.