Evening star., 1901-10-25
lSTHMIAN TROUBLES
Capt. Perry of the Iowa Reviews the
Situation.
ALL Is QUIET ON THE PANAMA Side
Insurgents Under Perez Capture
el Moro Island.
CONDITIONS IN COLOMBIA
Ill is QUIET ON THE PANAMA Side
CONDITIONS IN COLOMBIA

The Navy Department has received a
mail report from Capt Perry. commander
or the battle ship Iowa, which is now
watching over American interests at Pana-
ma stating that affairs on that side OF the
isthmus continue quiet and that there mas
been no material change In the situation.
captain Perry says that the state Of al
fairs In Panama and on the isthmus COct,
oer lad remains Just as quiet and unin-
teresting as ever" He continues: There
has been no interruption of. or interference
with. the transit at any time since the in
cident OF August G. last
mentioned In my letter of October
that the British gunboat Icarus had LETT
here for Tumaco to investigate the report
ed firing upon the Pacific Steam Navigs-
tion Company's steamer Quito (rylng the
English fiag) by the insurgents at that
place. The 1carus returned to Panama on
the 10th instant and the news she brings is
'interesting.
Success of Insurgents.
1T appears that insurgent forces under
General Perez one night during the last
week of September captured El Morro Is
land. near Tumaco. his force being about
loo strong. About eighty were killed on
one side and more than 100 on the other
during the attack, the government troops
hnally retiring to Tumaco. The insurgeut
force has six three-pounder guns mounted
on FL Morro Island. which completely COM
mands the channel leading to Tumaca.
With these guns, but without any vessel.
the insurgents then established a block
ade OF Tumaco, and when the Il. 3 y.
Co.'S steamer Quito flying the English
flag, passed on her way TO her regular port
of call, Tumaco. she was fired upon by the
insurgent force without warning. one OF the
3-pound projectiles penetrating her side and
exploding in the cargo. She subsequently
proceeded on her voyage but without hav-
ing touched at Tumaco.
The Case of the Quito.
when the Icarus arrived at FL Morro
Island her commanding officer held an in
terview with the insurgent Gen. Perez. the
result of which was a salute OF twenty
one guns fired by Perez to the English flag
hoisted at its headquarters. and in the
presence OF several of the Icarus' officers
and many of the insurgent troops but Perez
maintained his right to continue the block
ade, and averred that he would fire upon
any merchant vessel attempting to enter
Tumaco, after warning her not TO do so,
his apology in the Quito case being because
he had neglected to warn her.
AT this point desire to state that the p.
S. n. Co. issued instructions after the firing
on the Quito that their vessels would not
call at Tumaco for the present, there is
not likely to arise any complications by
further firing on British vessels"
Dinx Feels Encouraged.
The Secretary of the Navy has also
ceived a report from Lieutenant Comman-
der Henry McCrea, commanding the Ma
chias, dated Colon, October Il. as follows:
There are no material changes in the
condition of affairs here in Colon, though
one hears of wars and rumors of war at
various points all over the Republic OF CO.
lombia.
From reliable sources I learn that the
liberal leader, Diaz, feeling much encour-
aged over the reported successes of his
party at Bocas del Toro. and the well-known
discomfort existing among the government
troops on the isthmus, due to their having
received no pay for five weeks, has issued
a proclamation calling upon all loyal Co.
lombians to join him near Panama, where
he has plenty of arms and ammunition for
everybody. Diaz has also invited Gen. Al
ban to meet him outside the city limits
the only known reply being that Gen. Al
ban is building stone barricades on the out
skirts of Panama toward La Boca.
'All this in Panama Colon hasn't even
this much TO break the monotony, every
thing being most peaceful. and the normal
traffic of peace goes on without Interrupt
ton.
Il am pleased to report that we have no
sick and that the shore doctor says small
pox has disappeared from Colon entirely.
OF course, / shall continue to take every
precaution to maintain the health of the
crew, and to that end have ordered the coal
delivered alongside in lighters, which
makes it cost about 10 cents more per ton"