New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-12
MARINES GOING TO COLON
TREATY WITH COLOMBIA TO
BE ENFORCED.
THREE NARSHIPS. WITH STRONG
LANDING PARTY, ORDERED TO
THE SCENE OF TROUBLE ON
THE ISTHMUS.
THE ISTHMUS.

Washington. Sept. 11.-Secretary Moody To-
day telegraphed to the commanders or Ine
battleship Wisconsin, now at Brenereon' Puget
Sound, and the cruiser Cincinnati, at cape hay
tian directing them TO proceed as soon as posi-
Bile to the Isthmus of Panama, the Wisconsin
reinforcing the Ranger at Panama ana the C1r-
clnnatf taking station at Colon
II Is realized that, Notwithstanding th7
absence of a navy on either side of the Hayttan
revolutionary struggle, there is danger mat
some of the ports where American property in
terests are large may suffer because Of the
practice which has grown up in the course or
the revolution of burning towns before evacuat-
Ing them Therefore il has been decided to SEND
the gunboat Montgomery to Port-au-Prlnce 10
replace the Cincinnati. The Montgomery TOOK
part in the mannuvres. and is being over ilauieu
at the New-Yorl1 Navy Yard Allowing d coupie
Of days in which TO coal and fit out she coo'n
probably reach Port-au- Prince by next ihuIS-
day
II will take the Wisconsin fully twenty nays
to make the long trip Of over four thousalo
miles down the Pacific Coast TO Panama Inc
Navy Department had intended send the Bos-
ton. which Is being prepared for service 81 San
Francisco, to relieve or reinforce the Ranger
but the alarming situation which has 50 QUICKLY
arisen the isthmus prompted the of1clals 10
take more extensive measures to increase the
naval representation of the United states IN
that section. The Cincinnati will consume only
a few days in her trip across from Cape hay
ten, so that she should reach Colon ny inc De
ginning of next week.
To KEEP ISTHMIAN TRANSIT CLEAR
The comma n 1ars of the Cincinnati ana 'hS
Wisconsin will he instructed to enforce treaty
stipulations with Colombia strictly by prevent
ing any interference with traffic across the
isthnus. and also to prevent bombardment
of Panama from the sea. on the Srouhd Ihas
this III itself would constitute menace L"
traffic. Neither the Wisconsin nor the TN
cinnati carries large marine Contingents' out
any lack in this respect, II is said, can he mace
ND by equippins sailors toU shore duty, shouiu
1t become necessary 10 land a force on Colon
bian soil to enforce the guarantees Of the treaty
or to protect American interests.
Later in the day the officials OF ;he Navy
Department decided to take no chances OF an
insufficient landing force in case OF an erner-
gency on the isthmus and orders we're sent
forward to the Panther which IS now cn route
to League Island to take aboard battalion OF
marines on her arrival and proceed to Colon
Orders were issued for the organization OF the
marines. who will number 3So men. ana VIII
be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel K. +
Russell with Major Barnett as second III com
mand. Captains Porter. Butler and Mark VIII
command three OF the four companies ana
Captain Lemly will act Us quartermaster II
viii be the duty Of the marines to keep transit
across the isthmus clear. The marines per
formed a similar service in 1880
The sudden turn in events near Panama
came as d surprise to officials Of the state and
Navy departments Affairs In that quarter
had uuieted to such degree that only the little
sunboat Ranger kept guard there. The Mari
eta was keeping 4 close watch on the trend Of
affairs in Venezuela. and the Cincinnati was
performing similar duty in Hayti- The emeT-
gency arose so suddenly, therefore, that Hayu
must be left unmatched by an American war
vasseI in the interval between the departure
of the Cincinnati for Colon and the arrival Of
the Montgomery in Haytian waters
Il is thought that the centre Of trouble is
likely 10 be at or near Panama CITY ana IL Is
for that reason, and because Of the small size
and complement of the Ranger. that the big
1,-;eco,sto has been dispatched 10 the scene.