The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-25
WAS A RICH PRIZE.
"DETAILS OF COLOMBIAN GUNBoAT's
SURRENDER TO INSURGENTS.
coLoMBIA's CASE CRITICAL.
II sURGENT TROOPS NOW MENACE
MANY LARGE CITIES.

rhe Boyaca Captured by the Insur-
gent Gunboat PadilIa-Three Hum
dred Soldiers, Many Officers and
Much Ammunition Added to Value
of Prize-FIying Rebel Flag, the
BOyacn Guards Entrance to Pana-
ma-Gen. Berti Believed to Have
surrendered - Insurgent Problem
IL to Feed Cnptives.
Kingston, Jamaica, Aug. 24.-Details
of the capture of the Colombian gov
eminent gunboat Boyaca by the insur-
gents outside of Panama have reached
here. The Boyaca was captured Aug.
/ by the insurgent gunboat Padilla af-
ter a short and unequal fight.
She had on board at the time nearly
300 soldiers. under the command of
Gems. Ferero and Enao, who were to
reinforce Gen. Morales Bert at Aqua
Dulce The Boyaca also carried sew
eral colonies, a supply of ammunition
and considerable sum of money. An
American gunner named Rose, who
was serving on board the Boyaca, de-
olined to sail on her on her last and
fatal expedition.
Flying the insurgent flag the Boyaca
u now guarding the entrance to the
Panama harbor, presumably with the
intention of preventing steamers or
other vessels from bringing govern
ment reinforcements to Panama.
Berti's Force is Captive.
Nothing definite is known on the
isthmus of the situation of the govern
ment Gen. Morales Berti at Aqua
Dulce, but many persons believe that
the general,> after withstanding siege
of several days during which his
forces were subjected, chiefly at night,
to a severe artillery fire from the in
surgents, perceived the hopelessness
of receiving reinforcements and sup
plies from Panama and was forced to
surrender his troops to the insurgents.
The insurgents forces in the Aqua
Dulce district are said to number be-
tween 1900 and 5000 men.
Associated with Gen. Berti in the
defense of Aqua Dulce were Gen. Cas-
tro, who gained notoriety at the pre-
vious battle of Aqua Dulce, and Gems.
Gomez and Moreno. If the reported
surrender of the government forces at
Aqua Dulce is true the insurgent
ncn. Herrera is confronted by big
problem to provide food and shelter
for and to control this large and hos
tile element.
Insurgents Thick on Isthmus.
Owing to the first that the govern
ment line of communication between
Panama and Aqua Dulce is broken,
but little news reaches Panama from
the seat of war, although the contend
ing forces are only two days march \
II.
on the iSthmuS that several detach-
ments of insurgents have been seen
at the various stations along the rail-
road line between Colon and Panama,
and an attack at either end of the
line is expected in certain quarters to
occur at any moment.
Because of the presence of inSurg-
ents along the railroad the government
is most anxious to obtain reinforce
ments on the isthmus as soon as pos
sible. Fresh trouble, however, is said
to be brewing in the interior of the re-
public, and owing to the frequent -e-
fusals of steamships to carry govern
ment troops, the bringing of reinforce
ment to the isthmus is apparently no
easy matter.
The government gunboat General
Pinzon arrived at Cartagena week
ago from Colon, after having made
the voyage with difficulty. 1t is now
Sdlu 10 De Impossible Tor the General
tlnzon to go to sea again in her pres
ent condition. Important, indispensa-
Bile parts of her machinery have been
completely ruined. The Pinzon was
formerly the American yacht Namou-
ma. She was bought by the Colombian
government and entered it's service
last summer.
Looking for the CartaGena.
Government officials on the isthmus
assert that the newly acquired gov
eminent cruiser Cartagena will shortly
bring troops to the isthmus. In other
quarters it is said the Cartagena is
neither at Savanila nor Cartagena, but
that she has gone to Santa Marta,
from where she will proceed for the
British island of Trinidad, in connec-
ton with the detention there of the
steamer Libertador, which has been in
the service of the Motos revolution
against President Castro of Vene-
zuela.
The Colombian government recog
nlzes the revolutionary situation to be
serious. Many persons question the
ability of the insurgents to hold Colon
II they attack and capture that port,
owing to the fact that they possess no
gunboats on the Atlantic side of the
lsthmus. The government is endeavor-
Ing to purchase another war vessel in
the United States for use on the Pa
enc coast. There is at present no for