Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1903-12-24
PROBABLE THAT THEY ARE
BUILDING A ROAD TO
PANAMA..
COlOMBlANS MAKE A PROTEST
OBJECT TO PRESENCE OF AMERl.
cANvEssELsl IN COLOMBIAN
WATERS.

Colon, Dec. 19.-The United States
cruiser Atlanta, Commander William
H. Turner. returned here last night
from the Gulf of Darien. She dlscov-
cred Dec Is detachment of Colon.
bian troops. numbering visnally about
500 men. but, according to their state.
ments, totalling $500 or 1000 men, at
Titumati, en- 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 conversed with
the Colombian commander. The latter
protested energetically against the
presence nf American warships in
Colombian waters, insomuch as war
between Colombia and the United
States had not been declared. and po-
litely requested the Atlanta to leave
the gulf, because it belonged to Colon
bia. Commander Turner ignored the
request. and the Atlanta returned to
Colon to report to Rear Admiral Cogh-
Ian. The Colombians are clearly busy
with protective and
strengthening measures.
Although they treated the Americans
cOurteously, they decidedly resented
the presence of the Atlantas landing
party.
The Colombian force was composed
partly of the men landed recently at
the Atrato river by the Colombian
cruisers Cartagena and Gen. Pinzon.
Early in the morning OF Dec. Is the
Atlanta sighted small schooner in
the center Of the gulf Of Darien and
followed her to the Western shore.
where the schooner attempted to hide
behind an inlet. Lieut.. Harlan P.
Perrill. of the Atlanta, was ordered to
board her. 1t was found that the
schooner had on board hundred
armed Colombian soldiers commanded
by Gen. Daniel Ortiz, commander-in-
chief OF the Colombian forces of the
Atlantic and the Pacific. had large
camp mile away on the mainland.
Gen. Novo requested Lieut.. Perrill to
land and confer with Gen. Ortiz.
Great Excitement Prevailed
among the Colombians on the whale.
boats approach. There were repeated
cries of Viva Colombia" and there
was sudden concentration of $50
Colombian soldiers ON the beach. For
some moments the situation appeared
dangerous and had the appearance OF
ambuscade. Gen. Ortiz appeared ON
1.-THE beach when Lieut.. Pcrrill went
ashore. He protested in writing
against the presence of the Americans
in Colombian waters. Lieut. Perri:i
accepted the protest and conveyed It
to Commander Turner. who handed it
to Rear Admiral Coghland on his ar.
rival here
The Colombian camp appeared to be
permanent, was we'll provisiOned and
probably destined to be used as base
of operations. Gen. Ortiz and others
freely expressed the determiratio OF
Colombia to fight to the bitter end in
case Gen. Reyes visit to Washington
is not successful and Panama is not re-
turned to Colombia
Building a Road to Panama.
The Colombians carefully and sys-
tematically made efforts to avoid fur
nishing any information as to what
purposes had brought them to the gulf,
or whether they were building a road
toward the republic of Panama. But
it crn be said reliably that they are
awaiting superior orders In the mean
time there is strong probability that
they ar building a road toward Pan
anna. The distance separating Titu-
mat! and Yaviza is sixty miles.
The Colombians declared they had
1000 men between the mouth of the
,Atrato and Tiburon. we'll supplied with
food. clothing and ammunition They
also have several pieces of artillery
mounted advantageously at coastal
points. Their deneanor, though polite,
clearly showed hostility and deep
chagrin at having been discovered.
Many indications pointed to their in
tention of bringing further men and
supplies to the gulf.