The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-12-18
DRIFTING INTO
WAR OVER CANAL
COIOmbia0s Have a Camp Near
the Mouth Of Atrato River.
MARINES IN The VICINITY
AMERICAN WARsHIPs IN CO.
LoMBIAN WATERS.

n DION. Dec. 1.-THE United States
cruiser Atlanta. Commander VIII
liam II. Turner, returned here lass
night from the Gulf OF Darien. She dis
covered Dec. Is a detachment OF Coz
lombian troops, numbering virtually
about 500 men. but according to their
statements totaling j 500 or 1900 men.
at Titutamatf on the western side OF
( the gulf, just north of the mouth of the
Atrato river. The commander of the
Atlanta sent ashore an officer. who con-
Eersed with the Colombian commando.
Ahe latter protested energetfcallv
I against the presence Of American war
| ShlPs IN Colombian waters, insomuci
as war between Colombia and the
United States had not been declared.
ana politely requested the Atlanta 40
leaVe the gulf because 10 belonged 10
colombia. Commander Turner ignored
the request ana the Atlanta returned
to Colon to report TO Rear Admiral
Coghlan.
Resentment Shown.
/ The Colombians are clearly busy with
protective and strengthening measures.
Although they treated the Americans
| courteousiy, they decidedly resented the
presence Of the Atlantas landing party.
/ me colombian force was composed
Z partly of the men landed recently at
/ the AtratO river by the Colombian
cruisers Cartagena and General Pin
ION.
Early i'm the morning Of Dec Is the
Atlanta sighted q small schooner in the
I center Of the Gulf Of Darien and fol-
lowed her to the western shore. where
/ the schooner attempted TO hide behind
an lslel. Lieutenant Harlan p. PerrLI
! or the Atlanta was ordered to board her
and thereupOn a whalebOat was low
cred and pulled toward the schooner
[ through the courtesy Of the naval OF
hcers the correspondent of the Assoc
clated Press accompanied the party in
( the WhalebOat. II was found that the
+ schooner had on board 100 armed Co
iombian soldiers, commanded by Gen
I eral Rafael NOvo. who said General
Z Daniel Ortiz, -in-chief OF
I the Colombian forces Of the Atlantic
and the Pacific, had a large camp q
I nile away on the mainland.
Colombians Excited.
General Novo requested Lieutenant
Perrlu TO land and confer with General
I ortiz. After temporarily returning 10
the Atlanta, Lieutenant Perriu went
+ back to the schooner which. I'm the
l meantime. had taken up a position 3fr
/ cltement prevailed among the Colon
/ bans on the whaleboats approach
7 Ihere were repeated. cries Of give CO.
4 lomDla- and there was a sudden con-
centration of $50 Colombo soldiers on
] the beach. For. some moments the sit
! uation appeared dangerous and had the
/ appearance Of an ambuscade. General
/ ortiz appeared on the beach when Lieu
tenant Perriu went ashore. the whale
/ boat in the meanwhile lying close TO the
/ beach General Ortiz insisted that
/ Lieutenant PerriH should fly the Co
/ lOmbian flag at the bow of the whale
! beat OF lower the American flag at her
/ stern. because she was in Colombian
/ waters. Lieutenant Perrill replied that
\ ne did not have a Colombian flag and
/ refused to lower the stars and strfDes.
] General Ortiz did not insist upon his
/ so doing, but he protested in writing
/ against the presence of the America RS
| In Colombian waters. Lieutenant Per
/ rill accepted the protest and conveyed
I it TO Commander Turner. who handed
I it to Rear Admiral Coghlan on his ar
! rival here.
Took Observations.
During the conference with the Co
I lOmbians ashore. Lieutenant PerriH was
surrounded by General Ortiz's stair
I while, inland a few PAGES. there was n
SEM circle OF armed SenLlneIS. Cen
] eral Ortiz did not permit Lieutenant
I Perrill to leave the point of the beach
/ where he landed. While Perril was
awaiting the Colombian protest FRS
Lieutenant Edward B. Manwaring.
/ &C mmandiug the marine guard of the
Atlanta, rOwed up i'm a cutter for the
/ purpose Of communicating with Lieu
/ tenant PerriIl and to gain certain mill
Z tary information. Lieutenant Man
/ Waring went ashore and the cutter
joined the whaleboat off the beach
] Lieutenant PerriH returned to the
Atlanta at o'clock iu the afternoon.
( Lieutenant Manwaring. before return
ing pulled in the cutter along the coast.
/ observing the Colombiars' camp. Later
/ I'm the day General Ortiz requested the
/ Atlanta 10 leave
1 The Colombian camp appeared to be
I permanent was well prOvisioned and
probably destined Co be used as a base
/ Of operations. General Ortiz and Others
I freely expressed the determination of
Colombia to fight to the bitter end IN
! case General Reyes visit TO Washing
! ton is not successful and Panama is
not returned TO Colombia