Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-14
REGARDED AS ABSURD
Report of Military Move
ment Against Panama.
VARILLA UNCONCERNED
NEW REPUBLIC APPARENTLY
HAS NOTHING TO FEAR.
New Policy Adopted by This Govern
ment for the Isthmus-The
Wyoming Arrives.
VARILLA UNCONCERNED

| OMEN These officials pronounce to be also
solutely absurd the idea that any sIct
| march is in progress as the pres dent o1
| Colombia is reported to have described to
! the president of Eculdor. Telegrlm3 in the
| interior of South America are very mucf
| delayed just now, anI it is assumed here
| that the army said to be marching on
| Panama was moth ng more than the few
| men. perhaps 800 all told, who were about
| to embark at Beuna Ventura few days
| ago, when they We're turned back from the
| isthmus by notice of the determination OF
the United States naval commanders to al,
low no landing in that quarter. Thes
troops cannot reach the isthmus by water
and the officials here are positive that they
cannot do so by land
Minister Varilla Unconcerned.
Although NJ. Philippe Bunau-Varilla was
at the State Department today to see what
! information the officials had, it was not
| because of any anxiety he felt over the
| dispatches from Guayaqul that a ColoIn-
| bian expedition would endeavor to reach
| the isthmus.
1T were easier" said the minister, Ito
march from Cape Town to London than
from Bogota to Panama. for the strait or
Gibraltar and the English channel are at
least swimmable and the marshes between
the republic and Colombia are impen-
etrable"
The minister counts on the American
naval force to deal effectively with any ex-
pedition by sea that Colombia may attempt.
While it is realized the naval commanders
will not be inclined to cause loss of life II
1t can be helped. ships bearing Colombian
troops will be halted at safe distance
from the iSthmus and attempts to land will
be at the peril of the ships and men.
Dir. Thomas Herran, the Colombian
charge, continues to be without advices
from Bogota. Whether in their helpless
ness they have forgotten that they have
a legation at Washington or whether they
are undetermined what course to pursue
toward the United States, at any rate the
Colombian officials have not cabled the
Colombian legation here since November
2. when brief message came announcing
the adjournment of congress. Despite that
fact DR.. Herran is keeping Bogota closely
informed of every action of the Wash
ington government bearing on the isthmian
situation.
Panama Has Nothing to Fear.
From the best Information obtainable in
Washington the new republic of Panama
has nothing to fear from Colombian troops
going overland to the isthnlus. While no
accurate surveys are on file here, and it
is doubtful whether any have ever been
made, it Is asserted it would be a physi-
cal impossibility for any considerable body
of troops to make the march. 1t is pos
and marshes but that would not permit
the passage of wagons or pack animals
in sufficient number to carry the food
supplies necessary to provision an army.
Conceding that the United States will rec
ognize as the border of the new republic
the line across the isthmus from the Gulf
of Darien, which was the southern bound
airy of the state Of Panama, the Colombian
army would have fully 30 miles to march
to Panama city If the start was made
from Colombia's most northern frontier.
According to the bureau of military In
formation, War Department. to arrive at
anywhere near the correct marching dis
tance it would be necessary to add one-half
the airline measurement, which would
mean a march of $50 miles, through
country most of which is regarded as i'm
penetrable forests or impossible mountains
and marshes. The first stage is marsh,
through which, it is said, wagon could
not pass and pack animals would be almost
as useless. Then a mountain range is en-
countered, and at the northern base o. this
another marsh Along most of the distance
1t is said there is not even a coast line over
which troops would be able to pass.
tranquility Assured.
But there are more than physical OBJ
stacles in the way of the approach of an
army upon Panama The officials do not
care to express publicly their plans. but
enough has been CLEANED from the instruc-
make it evident that never again will the
isthnus become the seat of warfare so long
as tho United States government can pre-
vent it. The difference between the present
situa ton on the isthmus and that which
existed last year when Commander Mclean
prevented armed troops from crossing the
isthmus by rail is just this: The author
tiles have now determined to extend the
lines of protection to the railroad.
They will not allow hostile forces no mat
ter whether they are Colombian or Panama
troops, to come into collision anywhere near
the railroad. and to prevent such collisions
II will be necessary to extend the neutral
zone clear to the north and south bOunda-
ries of the republic of Panama. Officials
here will not make such statement pub
licly; they simply say: Wait till the emer-
gency arises" But it is known that such
were the plans of the naval commanders g.
and as there is no indication of a change
in these plans. not the slightest apprehen-
sion is felt hero of the encroachment of any
Colombian army upon Panama.
The Wyoming at Panama.
It IS said at the Navy Department that
the only news received over night from the
Isthmus of Panama was a brief dispatch
from Rear Admiral Glass announcing the
arrival at Panama yesterday of the moni-
tor Wyoming That vessel left Acapulco
in company with the cruiser Marblehead
and the gunboat Concord, but was not able
to keep pace with them, and so they parted
company The other two vessels arrived at
Panama several days ago. There are now
seven vessels guarding the inter ests of the
United States on the Isthmus Of Panama.
or these four are on the Pacific coast, the
cruisers Boston and Marblehead, the gun
boat Concord and the monitor Wyoming.
So far as known no other naval vessels,
except. possibly. colliers or supply ships.
will be sent to the west shore of the 18TH
mus for the present.
On the Atlantic. or east side. of the 18TH
mus are the cruiser Atlanta, the gunboat
Nashville and the training ship Dixie. This
fleet will be reinforced in a day or two by
the battle ship Maine and the Presidents
yacht Mayfiower. Rear Admiral Coghlan
commanding the Caribbean squadron; Rear
Admiral Walker. president Of the isthmian
canal commission and Consul General
Gudger, who, 1t is expected, will be given
diplomatic powers at Panama, are pas
he