The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-12
PREPARING To FIGHT
VENEZUELAN ARMY AND NAVY
WILL BE AIDED BY COLON
BIAN LIBERALS
IN AN ATTACK ON LA HACHA
Should the Venezuelan Force Sue
ceed, 1t Will Lay Open IA Large
Slice of Colombian
Territory.

WILLEMSTAD, Island of Curacao,
Sept. 1.-THE French cruiser Suchet,
which left Porto Colombian near Baran-
quifla Sept. 5, arrived here yesterday.
On her way here she stopped at La Ha-
ca, town at the mouth of the Rio Ha-
cha, situated in Colombia. The Suchet
brings report that the steamer Alex
andre Biabro landed 1,000. Colombian
troops from BaranQuilla and Cartagena
at La Hacha Sept g. The Venezuelan
gunboats Zumbador and Miranda and
two others were off La Hacha. They
were visible from the town the inhab-
1tants of which daily expected Venezu-
elan troops to be landed at or near La
Haeha. The Colombian troops there were
awaiting an attack. Within the last
week the Colombians at La Hacha have
received considerable reinforcements.
The Colombian gunboat Gen Pinzon
was seen Sept. 9 off La Hacha, but i'm
mediately upon the arrival of the four
Venezuelan gunboats the Pinzon put
about and steamed away. The officers
of the Suchet believe that fighting is
likely to occur at La Hacha About
Sept. the Pinzon took $50 Colombian
troops from Porto Colombia to La Ha-
cha.
The cable between Maracaibo and Cur
acoa is broken. Maracaibo communicates
with Caracas only over the government
telegraph line, which the pubic cannot
use. Nevertheless, it is learned on good
authority that the expedition composed
of 1000 troops under Davla,, the Venezue-
Ian leader, which left Porto CabeIlo
three weeks ago bound for Maracaibo,
and left Maracaibo Sept. 4th on three
schooners towed by a small steamer.
their destination being unknown, has ar
rived at its objective point and is re-
ported to have safely landed on the Col
ombian coast a few miles northeast of
La Hacha, and that second expedition
under the leadership of a Colombian
named Castillo, composed of Colombian
liberals and Venezuelan sympathizers,
left Maracaibo overland, bound for La
Hacha. It's present whereabouts or ex-
pected destination are unknown but suf-
ficient time has elapsed since it's depart
ure to bring the expedition near La Ha-
cha.
The Davla and Castillo expeditions to-
gether number about 1,5OO troops. to
which should be added about 15OO Col
,umbian liberals, more or less well armed,
congregated about the frontier
If a Colombian Venezuelan engage
ment occurs in the vicinity of La Hacha
and the Venezuelans are successful. it
will give the latter access to a stretch of
Colombian territory, in Santa Martha
province, wholly liberal in sympathy,
and therefore favoring the Venezuelan
liberals, and will permit the Venezue-
lans to approach the Colombians at San
Cristobal and Cucuta, frontier points.
from the rear. Should the Venezuelans
succeed at La Hacha, it is believed that
their numbers will be largely increased
by Colombian liberals
Venezuela has established a temporary
naval base at San Carlos, not far from
the entrance to Maracaibo harbor, where
the government has stored provisions,
arms and about 500 tons of coal The
only communications between La Hacha,
Maracaibo and Curacao are by courier
between La Hacha and Maracaibo