The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-12-18
DUR SHIPS WERE
NOT WELCOME
u
Colombian Officials Protest
Against Them Being in
Gulf of Darien

Colon, Dec. 17.-.-Tn. nited States
cruiser Atlanta, Commander VIII. am
H. Turner, returning here last night
from the Gulf of DaIien discovered ON
December 10Th a detachment of Col
.roops, numbering virtually
about five hundred men, but accord
il,g 10 their statements there are 1900
or 2,Oo0 men at Titumati on the west
ern siae 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 of American warships in Col
ombian waters, in so much as war be-
tween Colombia and the United States
had not been declared and politely re-
quested the Atlanta to leave the gulf.
because it belonged to Colombia. Com
nander Turner ignored their request
and the Atlanta +. oceeded to Colon to
report to Rear Admiral Coghlan.
The Colombians are clearly busy
with protective and strengthening
measures. Although they treated the
Americans courteously they decidedly
resented the presence of the Atlanta's
landing party.
Early in the morning of December
Is the Atlanta sighted a small schooner
in the center of the gulf of Durcen and
where the schooner attempted to hide
behind an iset.
Lieutenant Harlan Perrill of the At
lGrta, was ordered to board her. and
theIeupon a whaleboat was lowered
and pulled towaI DIS the schooner.
Through the courtesy OF the naval
officers the correspondent of the As
scciated Press accompanied the party
in the whaleboat. 1t was found that
the schooner had on board an hun
dred armed Colombian soldiers COM
manded by General Daniel Ortiz com
mander-in- chief of the Colombian
forces of the Atlantic and Pacific. had
large camp mile away on the MAIN
land.
General Novo requested Lieutenant
Perrill to land and confer with General
Ortiz. After temporarily returning to
the Atlanta, Lieutenant Perrill went
back to the schooner, which in the
meantime had taken up a position Oft
a beach within a small bay. Great ex-
blans on the whaleboats approach.
There were repeated cries of 'Vive
Colombia" and there was a sudden
cUn.on.. alton of 100 Colombian soldiers
on the beach For some moments the
situation appeared dangerous and had
the appearance of an ambuscade. Gen.
elal ortiz appeared on the beach when
Lieutenant Perrill went ashore, the
whaleboat in the meantime lying close
10 the beach.
General ortiz insisted that Lieuten-
ant Perrill should fly the Colombian
flag at the bow of the whaleboat, or
lower the American flag at ner stern,
because she was in Colombian waters
Lieutenant Perrill replied that he did
not have a Colombian flag and refus-
el TO lower the Stars and Stripes. Gen
elai Ortiz did not insist upon his
doing so, but he protested in writing
against the presence of Americans IN
Colombian waters.
Lieutenant Perrill accepted the pro-
test and conveyed it TO Commander
Turner who handed 1t to Rear Ad-
MIRA Coghian on his arrival he.e.
Du4ing the conference with the Col
cmpians ashore, Lieutenant Perrlli
was surrounded by General Ortiz's
staff white inland. few PAGES. there
was sent semi-circle of armed sem
tinels.
General Ortiz did not permit Lieu
tenant PerriH to leave the point OF the
beach where he landed.
Wnile Perrill was awaiting the Col
ombian protest First Lieutenant Ed
waId Manwaring, commanding the
marine guard of the Atlanta, rowed
up in a cutter for the purpose of com
municating with Lieutenant Perrili
and to gain certain military informa-
ton. Lieutenant Manwaring went
ashore and the cutter Joined the
whaleboat off the beach.
Lieutenant Perrill returned to the
Atlanta at o'clock in the afternoon
Lieutenant Manwaring, before return
ing pulled in the cutter along the
coast observing the Colombian camp
Later in the day General Ortiz request
ell the Atlanta to leave.
The Colombian camp appeared TO Dc
permanent, was well provisioned and
probably destined to be used as base
of operations.
General Ortiz and others freely ex'
pressed the determination of Colombo
to fight to the bitter end in case Gen
eral Reyes visit to Washington Is mo-
successful and Panama is not return
"A