Evening star., 1901-09-12
REBELS INVEST La HACHA
BATTLE IMMINENT AROUND THE
COLOMBIAN CITY.
Government, Sends 1000 Reinforce
ments and They Are Await
ing an Attack.

A dispatch from WfllemStad, Island OF
Curacao, dated September IL, says: The
French cruiser Suchet, which left Porto
Colombia. near Barranquilla, September 8,
arrived here yesterday. On her way here
she stopped at La Hacha, town at the
| mouth of the Rio Hacha, situated in Co
lombia. on the west side of the Guajira
peninsula, about 100 miles northwest of
| Maracaibo. The Suchet brings report
that the steamer Alexandra Bixio landed
1000 Colombian troops from Barranquilla
ard Cartagena at La Hacha September 8.
The Venezuelan gunboats Zumbador and
Miranda and two others were off La Hacha.
They were visible from the town, the in
habitants of which daily expected Vene-
Zuelan troops to be landed at or near La
Hacha. The Colombian troops there were
awaiting an attack. Within the last week
the Colombians at La Hacha have recev
ed considerable reinforcements.
The Colombian gunboat Gen. PinZon was
seen September 8 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 Su-
chet believe that fighting is likely to occur
at La Hacha.
The French steamer Versailles and the
German steamer Ascania We're both at
Porto Colombia September 5. Their cap
tains were approached by the Colombian
authorities with proposition to transport
asked 5000 gold and the Ascania wanted
$1,000 gold, which the Colombians were un-
able to pay for the transportation, which
was not effected. 1t is evident, however,
that the Alexandra BiXio later conveyed
the troops. About September 1 the Pinzon
took 450 Colombian troops from Porto CO.
lombia to La Hacha.
The cable between Maracaibo and Cura-
Gao is broken. Maracaibo communicates
with Caracas only over the government
telegraph line, which the public cannot
use. Nevertheless, it is learned on excel
lent authority that an expedition, COM
posed of 1000 Venezuelan troops under
Davail, the Venezuelan leader. which left
Porto Cabello three weeks ago. bound for
Maracaibo, and left Maracabo September
on three schooners, towed by a small
steamer. their destination being unknown,
has arrived at it's objective point and is
reported to have safely landed on the Co
lomblan coast few miles southeast of La
Hacha, and that second expedition under
the leadership of a Colombian named Cas-
tillo, composed of Colombian liberals and
Venezuelan sympathizers, left Maracaibo
overland bound for La Hacha. It's present
whereabouts or expected destination is
UNKNOWN but sufficient time has elapsed
since its departure to bring the expedition
near La Hacha.
The Davail and Castillo expeditions to-
gether number about 500 troops to which
should be added about 1900 Colombian lib
erals, more or less well armed, congregated
about the frontier
Ii a Colombian-V engagement
occurs in the vicinity of La Hacha and the
Venezuelans are successful 1t will give the
latter access to a stretch of Colombian ter
r1tory, in Santa Marthe province, wholly
liberal in sympathy. and therefore favoring
the Venezuelan liberals, and will permit the
Venezuelans to approach the CoIombians
at San Cristobal and Cucuta, frontier
points, from the rear. Should the Venezue-
lans succeed at La Hacha, it is believed
that their numbers will be largely in
creased 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 800 tons of coal.
The only communications between La
Hacha, Maracaibo and Curacao are by
courier between La Hacha and Maracaibo.
The Suchet brought the French consul
and some twenty-eight Frenchmen from La
Hacha to Willemstad.
The passengers of the British steamer
William Cliff. which arrived at Kingston,
Jamaica, yesterday from Colon, report that
on Monday last, in anticipation of a serious
attack on the part of the rebels, the stores
there were closed, the streets were patrol
led by soldiers, martial law was strictly en-
forced and the people We're not allowed to
discuss the situation. The officers of the
steamer say that far as they could gath
e. most of the sympathy of the people was
with the rebels and the countries assisting
them.
During the stay of the United States
guEboat Machias at Bocas del Toro the
United Fruit Company reobtained possess
sion of the steam launch seized not long
ago by the liberals.
The mayor of Panama has issued a de-
cree enforcing military conscription in the
case of all Colombians between the ages Of
eighteen