Evening star., 1902-08-21
REBELS CAPTURE WARsHIP.
Colombian Gunboat Boyaca Falls Into
Hands of Reyolutionists,

A dispatch from Panama. Colombia, last
night says: The former government gun
boat Boyaca. which left here July % to
carry 800 soldiers to Aqua Dulce, and which
was captured by the Colombian revolu-
tionists. is now at sea flying the rebel flag.
The rumors that the BOyaca had been sunk
are therefore refuted
Before she left here General Salazar, gov
ernor Of Panama. ordered the commander
Of the BOyaCa not to fire the guns on that
vessel because he feared the bad condition
of the BOyaca would endanger those on
board if her guns were discharged Revo-
lutionary reports of the capture of the gun
boat are that she fought two hours before
being captured. and it is believed in gov
eminent circles that some accident to her
machinery or rudder forced the commander
of the Boyaca to accept unequal battle un-
til further resistance was impossible. The
Boyaca was a very old ship, and her ma
chinery and keel were In very bad cond-
ton. She was built in 1888 at Wilmington,
Del, for the Colombian government
The hopes OF the conservatives at Panama
are now centered in the steamer which
SenOr COncha, Colombian minister at
Washington, is supposed to have bought re-
Gently at San Francisco. Should this YES
sci sail promptly for the isthmus with good
gunners on board 1t is believed by govern
expected here from Barranquilla, General
SalaZar need have no fear of an attack
from the revolutionary forces under Gen
eral Herrera.
The steamer Palana reached port this
morning from the south, and her captain
reports having met the Boyaca flying the
flag OF the revOlutionists off the island of
TabOguilla, about fifteen miles from Pana-
ma.
Nothing is known here of the reported
surrender of the government general Mo-
rales Berti to the revolutionists at Aqua
Dulce. No news has been received from
this general for some time past, but gov
ernment officials express the belief that he
would only succumb after a gallant fight
The situation here Is serious. but there is
nothing to show that General Herrera in
tends to attack Panama Immediately, and
the statement that he is now marching to-
ward this city is discredited. 1t is not true
that the revolutionary gunboat Padilla has
demanded the surrender of. Panama. The
Padilla has been seen frequently off Otoque
Island.
j. w. Peet. local agent of the Pacific
/ Steam Navigation Company of Liverpool,
| declines to make any statement regarding
/ the action OF the Colombian authorities at
Buenaventura in the case of the company S
| steamer Ecuador. and says he knows moth
| ing about the sailing of the British cruiser
| PhaetOn for that port. The governor of
| Panama, General Salazar, however, has re-
/ ceived a cable message from General We
| Iasco, in command of the troops at Buena-
/ ventura. saying that the English company
/ absolutely refused to transport troops to
| the fsthmus. No further complications are
! feared al Buenventura for the present.
! The Colombian legation last night re-
| ceived a cablegram from Gov. Salazar, at
| Panama, saying the report that the govern
| ment troops at Aqua Dulce had surrendered
| was entirely without foundation and that
there had been no change in the situation