The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-11-10
CER|MANY'S
SECRET WORK
IN COLOMBIA
Scheming to Secure Coal
ing Station at Car
tagena.
Supports Subsidized Steam
ship Line to Gain Strate-
gic Advantage.
Diplomatic Moves by Which the
Kaiser Expects to Command the
Approach to the Isthmian
Canal.
Special Dispatch 70 The Call.

CALL BUREAU. 1906 STREET, n.
? ", WASHINGTON. Nov. s.-Proof that
Germany is supporting the application OF
the Hamburg-American line to acquire a
coaling station ar Cartagena. Colombia.
has been furnished the State Department
by the American Consul at Cartagena.
John G. Ingersoll, who succeeded Joseph
Bowron as Consul az Cartagena, has fled
the information with Secretary Of State
Hay. His report is highly important He
states positively that he has reliable in
formation showing that the Hamburg
American line has made application bott
Tor coal:ng station and for a reduction
q duties on the material they desire 10
import into the state IN connection with
its establishment: that its application is
being earnestly supported by the German
Consul. that, in fact. it has. in the form
NJ q memorial, been transmitted through
him and the German legation at bogots
u the Colombian Government.
Significance of Application.
u Is. Of course. TO be expected that the
German Minister 20 Colombia will make
every effort 70 obtain the approval Of the
application by she BogOta authorities. In
gerson makes no comment upon the in
formation. saying that its significance"
will doubtless be appreciated by the Sec
Rotary Of State Il has never been the
practice Of the United States 10 oppose
legitimate enterprise. whether American
or foreign, in South and Central Amer
lea. and Il is doubtful If the State De.
partment will interfere actively TO pre-
vent the concession being granted the
Hamburg-American line, dangerous as IT
is as az entering wedge to the main
tenance Of the Monroe doctrine. Consul
Ingersoll has undoubtedly forwarded a
duplicate Of his report TO the State De-
psr1ment 10 Minister Hart, and that Of
fetal will use his unofficial influence to
prevent favorable action upon the appli-
cation
Senior Herran. Colombian Charge DAT
flares. proposes TO inform his Govern
ment OF the attitude Of the United States
relative 10 the applicatio Of the Ham
burg-Amertcan line. and. Jingoistic as the
Governor Of Cartagena is. he doubts If
the German move TO acquire a coaling
station on the shores Of the Caribbean
Sea will meet with success.
Great Advantage to Germany
Discussing the effect Of the acquisition
by the Hamburg-American line of a coal
ing station az Cartagena, a prominent
naval officer said to-day:
Besides the Atlas line. which the Ham
burg-American Company controls, the
German company also runs a line o.
steamers direct from Germany TO Carta-
gena- These vessels are manned by Ger
mans. who are thus well acquainted with
the navigation Of the Caribbean Sea. In
time OF war the ships. which are operated
under q subsidy granted by the German
Government, will be impressed into the
German service. a coaling station would
Of course, be useful base for the Cd
erations Of a German squadron in the
Caribbean Sea- With such a base the
command of the Panama and Nicaragua
canals would he assured, provided the
force were sufficiently strong, as Carta-
gena IS nearer to those two points than
IS the United States. II would be dam
gerous to American interests to permit
Germany TO acquire a coaIing station a.
cartagena, even under the guise Of a con-
cesgion TO a subsidized German steamship