The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-26
CITING PRECEDENTs.
The United States Has Many Times
Been Called Upon to Assert
Herself

Washington. Feb. 26.-The case of the
Waterwitch is considered to be the most
analogous as to that of the Maine
should it be established that the
Maine disaster was not the result of
an accident. The Waterwitch, was
United States ship engaged in 1855 in
surveying the entrance to one OF the
rivers of Paraguay Without warning
and by orders of President Lopez, of
Paraguay, force of troops opened
fire on the Waterwitch, killing the man
at the helm and wOunding others. In
tense feeling was aroused in the United
States when the facts became known
The president reported the facts to con-
gress and in his message asked au-
thOrity to make a demonstration which
would insure suitable redress. In re
Spouse to this congress authorized him
to use such force as is necessary to
secure ample reparatiOn. Accordingly
an armed fleet was hastily assembled
on a scale which was regarded as re-
marka BILE for those days. The eXpedi-
ton included 10 armed ships, Is heavy
guns and 800 sailors and marines. Ac-
cOmpanying this formidable out fit were
civilian plenipOtentiaries prepared to
make the demands of the government
and then enforce them by calling on the
armed ships.
The expedition made a formidable
showing in South American waters and
President LOpez's government was
awed into complete subsection by its
presence. The American commissioners
and naval officers were received at
AsunciOn with much honor and every
reparatiOn within the power of the re-
public was given. This included alb
ject apology, a sweeping disavOwal, and
$4,000 for the sufferers from the out
rage As the republic was willing to
grant full reparatiOn the naval expe-
idtiOn did not exert the force it was pre-
pared to use in case a refusal had been
offered.
When the facts of the expedition were
reported to the American congress, the
president stated that the dispatch of
this fOrmidab BILE naval fleet had had
salutary influence throughout the world
and had convinced foreign nations that
the United States would protect the
lives of it's citizens with all the force at
its command
The case of the firing on the United
States ship Chesapeake by the British
ship Leopard is another case Offering a
precedent as to the governments mode
of action. The Chesapeake was pro-
ceeding to sea when she was hailed by
the commander of the Leopard, with a
demand that British deserters, said to
be in the hold of the Chesapeake be
surrendered. The American commander
refused to comply, whereupOn the Loop
ard first fired a shot across the bow of
the Chesapeake and followed this with
two brOadSideS. The American COM
mander was severely wounded, three
sailors were killed outright and many
were wounded. Being unpTepared for
action, it being a time of peace, the
American commander hauled down his
cOlOrs and surrendered.
Tremendous excitement prevailed in
the United States over the outrage.
President Madison speedily issued a
proclamation excluding from American
ports all British warships. He also
caused energetic protests and demands
to be presented at London The Brit
ish authorities promptly disavowed the
action, and without request rendered
indemnity sufficient to support the
wives and families of all those who
had been killed and wounded.
In a later case the American ship
PrOmetheus was fired upon in the har-
Dor of CreytOWn. The ship had declined
to pay excessive port charges imposed
by the king of the Mosquito country
then controlling the country under a
British protectorate The king called
on the British warship Express to sus-
promptly sent a broadside into the
Prometheus. There We're no per-
sons killed but the United
states made prompt demand
for reparation. The British govern
ment gave this in the fullest manner
and without question, diSavOWing the
act and condemning the officer of the
Express.
Displays of force were resorted to by
the United States in 1852 against Japan
and in 1858 against Java. In t lie case
of Japan, American sailors had been
severely handled in japanese ports. and
the native courts failed to give ade-
quate redress.
anese waters, and this had the effect of
securing the fullest apology and also
an agreement by which every protec-