Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-12
BLUEJACKETS FOR ISTHMUS
Traffic Must Ett Be Gntsrfsrsd with BY
Colombian Trouble.
WILL PROTECT The CITY OF PANAMA
Captain Marmaduke Of Merrimac-
Monitor Fame Admits Jessie Ham
ming f. 20 belong TO
Colombian Navy.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-The command
ers Of Cincinnati and Wisconsin VII
be instructed to enforce our treaty s~tipula-
tions with Colombla strictly by preventing
any interference with trafic across the is
thmus, and also TO prevent a bomhardment
Of Panama from the sea on the ground that
this, in itself. would constitute a menace
to trafic.
Neither Wisconsin nor Cincinnati carTl-s
very large marine contingents. but any
lack In this respect. 1t Is said, can be made
up by equipping jsckies for shore duty
should II become necessary to land a force
on Colombian soil to enforce the guarantees
Of the treaty or to protect American in
terests.
The sudden turn Of events near Panama
came as a surprise to the officials of the
State and Navy departments. Affairs in
that quarter had duieted to such a degree
that only the little gunboat Ranger kept
watch. Marietta was keeping a close eye
on the trend Of affairs in Venezuela, aud
Cincinnati was performing similar duty In
Hayti. The emergency arose so suddenly,
therefore, that Hayti must be left I'M
watched by an American var vessel during
the interval between the departure Ct en-
clnnati for Colon and the arrival Of Mont
kOLhelg III lhsbltu hdNtlps
Panama Center of Trouble.
II is thought that the center Of trouble
is likely to be at or near Panama Ci!y
and IL is for that reason and because OF the
small size and complement Of Ranger that
the big Wisconsin has been despatched to
the scene.
Later In the day the %ofhcials Of the Navy
department decided to take no chances Of
m fnauh7nfout landing foroa In caan If an
emergency on the isthmus, and orders we're
sent forward to the United States Steamship
Panther. which is now enroute to League
Island, to take aboard a battalion of marines
upon her arrival and proceed to Colon. Or
ders were issued for the organization CT
the marines, who Will number $50 men aud
will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel B.
Russell, with Major Barnett as second in
Captains Porter, Butler and
Mark will mman three OF the four com
panies and Captain Lemly will act as quar-
termaster. 1t will be the duty Of the ma
rines TO keep transit across the isthmus
clear. The marines performed a similar
service In 1885.
1t is understood that, Notwithstanding
The absence Of a Haytian navy on either
side Of the revolutionary struggle, there is
danger that som of the ports where
American property interests are large may
suffer because Of the practice which has
sro~n Up n the course Of the rebellion nf
burning towns before evacuating them.
Therefore. 1t has been decided to send the
gunboat Montgomery to replace Cincinnati
at Port Au Prince. Montgomery has Just
finished participation In the maneuvers and
is being overhauled at the New York navy
yard. Allowing a couple Of days In which
to coal and At out, it could probably reach
Port Au Prince by next ThuradaY.
To Join Colombian Navy.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1.-THE steamer
Jessie Banning, formerly the British
steamer Clutch, arrived here today from
Seattle, enroute south to ioin the Colom-
bian navy. Captain Marmaduke. who was
a participant In the historic Merrimac-
Monitor fight, admitted today that tho
steamer had been converted into a man-of-
war for the Colombian government aud
that he would commas It.
Until today he has denied himself to
newspaper men and rumors concerning
Banning's mysterious movements were
neither denied nor confirmed. Today the
captain said; There lie no necessity for
any further secrecy about the matter.
Jessie Banning is the property Of the re-
public of. Colombia and will sail for the
south as soon as It is completed. 1t forms
80 W NV y II IL
name win be changed to Bogota, the name
of the capital Of the republic"
GUN Platforms Arranged.
Captain Marnaduke stated that the
ships deck house has been cut down and
that gun Platforms had been placed in
position, but refused to state whether its
guns were now aboard, whether they would
be shipped here or in fact what Its arma-
ment would be. He refused to say where
it will gets its crew.
Those are points about which I am not
prepared to make Statements said he.
1T / did the Information would speedily
reach the other side and that must be
avoided.
Guns for the Vessel.
fCoincident with the arrival of the
steamer came a freight car with a consign-
,ment Of eight heavy guns and a lot OF
ammunition, all OF which will be placed
aboard Jessie Banning tomorrow.
The purpose OF the steamer in docking al
this point was TO secure its armament and
to proceed on its voyage without an in.
stant's delay. 1t is believed a crew will
be secured within the next few days. Gun,
ner Mensiss, who served on an American
warship during the Spanish war, will, II II
stated, man one Of the guns.
Captain Marmaduke has made provision
for viotualing the ship for a period o
two months with a crew of fifty omcers ant
men. Captain Marmaduke says he has de
cided assurances that the United States will
not interfere with the vessel.
Advancing on PanamA
AsHEVILLE, N. c., Sept. l1.-Unlie,
States Consul Gudger OF Panama, who 3
now here, tonight received q eablegran
from his son. who is vice consul to Pa
mama, who stated that the reVolutionlst
are advancing on Panama. The messag
says that the outlook appears grave, a
only about 5000 government troops are 1
Panama, while the insurgents have tvic
that number. e.
Torpedo Destroyer shows speed.
BALTIMORE. Sept. 1.-THE torpedo &c
stroyer Werden, which with Bainbridg
WA eiNAn iis EIandhrdizaiin ION trial owe