The Portland daily press., 1898-05-16

Country.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.
Port au Prince, May SIBERIAN war
ships sometime ago made soundings in
the principal ports of Hayti, Port au
Prince, the Mole St. Nicholas, Cape
Hayti, Jeremie and Jacmel. What Ger.
many might undertake to do in this part
of the world, in the event of general
conflict, a. dread of which Lcri Salisbury
is said to have expressed in a recent
speech, is question that is occupying
the attention of the public men of Hayti
Well informed foreigners residing here
do not doubt that if America were ilvoled
ON one side, Germany would send fleet
to seize the island. Local German trad
ers fereyently cherish this hope. Their
feeling against the Haytiens since the
Lueders incident has been intense; and
go far as volatile people is capable of
cherishing old scores, : the arimosity is
reciprocated. OF all the masters of YES
sells coming to Haytien ports the Germans
treat the native port officers and steve
dores with the least consideration; often
with unconcealsd contempt. The wonder
is that their attitude does not oftener pro-
woke conflicts. If you walk the streets
here and lower class hurls after you a
certain epithet you may be sure 1t is be-
cause of the ill-will toward the Germans
and not on general principles. Yet the
Germans are by far the most numerous
class of traders here. 1t may be that this
has not little to do with the action of
the government in conceding the fulfill
ment of article of the treaty of the
United States, granting to Americans
the some commercial rights as that en-
joyed by the aaytiens.
the concessions Will involve the Haytien
government in vexatious difficulties with
other nations unless it does the same By
them. Whether NJ. Brutus st. Victor,
the able minister Of foreign affairs, has
looked SO far ahead as this, ] cannot say,
though it is only reasonable to assume
that he has.
By the concession to the Americans,
Hayti will lose about $40, 600 in gold
year in revenue In order to afford 10
treat other foreigners with like liberaiity,
she mast devise new taxation. 1t looks
very much as if, counting upon the pro-
lection of the United States in case of
need, the foreign minister expected to
refuse an equal concession to other ma
lions on the ground that the treaty of
1854 is purely reciprocal, each party max
ing to the other specific return for spec
ial privileges granted But such an ex-
cuse is likely 10 have little force if the
West Indies waters become the principal
naval battlefield in a general war
One would say that ultimatums adj
dressed to the Haytien government tickle
its sense of Importance, and are d luxury
that it dotes on. Minister Powell gave
the foreign office 4S hours in which to
signify it's intention of carrying out the
provisions of the treaty of 1864. With
equal emphasis he has just replied to q
communication of NJ. Brutus St. Victor,
the foreign minister on the subject of a
fine illegally levied on the Clyde steapi-
or Navahoe, formerly the Thuringia.
The charge against the Navahoe was
of q purely technical character and was
no doubt simply concocted by the lower
officer of the customs for the sake of a
possible division of spoil. The Thuringia
brought to the port of Miragene three bar
rels of merchandise, the marks of which
did not exactly correspond with those
on the manifest. The correct duty was
paid on them, however. Nevertheless,
on July 1S, last, the customs chief at
Giragone formulated "a complaint against
the vessel. 1t is alleged by the Clyde
officers shat he had previously endeavored
to obtain considerable gratuity IRON
the company. The technical irregularity
in regard to the three barrels of Inerchan-
disc was used by him as pretext for his
corrupt demand. Nothing was paid him
and the steamship was nominally seized
and fipe OF $500 imposed upon her own.
ers. The conpany's representative at
Miragone stood firm and the company ap-
pealed to the American state department
through its travelling agent, Mr. Haeht
mann. Mr.. Powell at his special request
opened a correspondence with the Hay
tien government On the subject and asked
lar c1-A rrrrl, Aio,, Of
the case before arriving at final deter
animation in regard to it. Mr.. Powell up
on studying III himself, found that the
agents explanation of the difficulty was
entirely 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. Mr., Powell asked
the Haytien government to furnish him
with copies of the alleged faulty invoices
This it refused to do. He obtained them,
however, from the Clyde company. About
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 proceeding to this port.
The government yielded so far as to
modify its previous orders, telegraphing
Immediately to Cape Haytien, that the
Navahoe was not to be molested. 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 tothe minister
of finance through theforeign minister. A
Gay or two ago be received reply, stat
ing that the Hay tten government re-
garded the whole affair as having been
closed early. in January and that it did
not propose to reopen it, and would not
remit the fine, and that if this was not
paid it would lay hands on the vessel. In
letter to the foreign minister. dated
May 2, 1898. in reply to the communioa-
ton, Mr.. Powell pronounced the tine
illegal and he declared that but for a
teohnicality the manifests invoices were
entirely regular. He dwelt upon the
failure of the government to furnish in
formation IN regard to the case, as re-
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