Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-29
The Montgomery Touched
at Its Capital.
THERE IS MUCH SECRECY
AT the Navy Department Regarding
the Object of This Call-American
Flag Was Displayed There For a
P%urp0se-A C0aling Station.

New York, Dec. ga special to the
Herald from Washington says: 1t de-
veloped today that the United States
cruiser Montgomery has been on a Sc
cret mission to Liberia, Africa, per-
formed, it is believed. with a view to
displaying the American flag in Liberian
waters and the location of a site for an
American coaling station on the Liberian
coast.
While officials of the navy department
maintain that the cruise was of an or
binary character, it is significant that
it has ben kept a profound secret up to
this time, none of the vessels movements
having been recorded in the Daily Bulle-
tin published by the bureau of naviga-
ton, while during her apparently pro-
longed stay at Pernambuco it was
stated on several occasions that the
vessel was simply cruising up and down
the South African coast looking out for
American interests.
1t is further regarded as significant
that the Montgomery's cruise in Libe-
rian waters was madea at a time when re-
ports We're in circulation that Great
Britain, Germany and Italy had designs
on the territory of the little republic,
and these were so persistent that Sec
ASNoAy AAcS "a ~ oNN AoAoAS W Il
inquiry of the powers named. These in
quiries resulted in assertions that none
of the foreign countries contemplated in
terfering with Liberian affairs.
The secrecy regarding the Montgom-
ery's movements was carried to such an
extent that it was not until late this
afternoon that. Secretary Long stated
that after making inquiry of the bureau
of navigation he had been informed tina
the Montgomery had visited Monrovia,
the capital of Liberia, and Freetown,
the capital of the British colony of Sierra
Leone. While at the former point, Com
mander J. p. Merrill of the Montgomery
called upon the American minister, and
it is understood met the president and
his cabinet. 1t is no secret here that Lii
IBERIA has long desired an active Amer
lean prOtectorate, and has made repre-
sensations which lead the authorities to
understand that she desires the estab-
lishment of an American coaling sta
ton on her shores, believing that it will
give her additional reason for protection
from this government.
The reports which I've been received
at the navy department regarding the
Liberian coast show it does not possess
a satisfactory harbor for. a coaling sta
ton. Many years ago the United States
possessed a coal pile at Sierra Leone,
which point, it is believed the Montgom-
cry also visited, though simply for the
purpose of taking coal on board.
Senator Mason. who has received a
letter from an officer of the Montgomery,
states that he proposes to introduce a
resolution calling upon the secretary of
the navy to inform the senate why the
Montgomery was ordered to Sierra
Leone, and if the mission was in pursu-
ance of any understanding with Great
Britain.
In the representations made by Sec
rotary Hay he has given European pow
ers to f<tand that the policy of the
United States with respect to the integ-
rity of Liberia has not been changed.
Naval officials decline to state positively
when the Montgomery was in Liberian
waters, intimating that she left Pernam-
buco for the African coast about No
vemher l.
1t is understood, on the other hand,
thai the cruiser arrived at Pernambuco
about October Ia, and after cOaling pro-
ceeded directly to Freetown, where she
coaled and then went to MOnrovia, re-
turning to Pernambuco about November
! and sailing for Rio on November 4.
The vessel remained at Rio until Novem-
Der Is, when she sailed for Buenos
Ayres, where she arrived on December
! and has been since.
There is no doubt hat this govern
ment is seriously contemplating the es-
adjustment of a coaling station on the
west coast of Africa, and the Observa-
tons made by Commander Merrill of the
nection with the decision reached.