The sun., 1903-11-05
We CHECK COLOMBIA.
Protest Against the Smelling of
Panama.
MORE WARSHIPS SENT THERE.
May Consider 1t Our Duty to Stop
Any Fighting on the Isthrnus.

Instructions Sent to Naval Commanders
seem to Indicate That-CoIombisn
Gunboat Throws Some Shells Into
Panama and Kills One Chinam,n n
Colombian OmciaIs Here Have No
Onicial Notification OF the Revolt
Panama Railroad Company Asks
for Protection for Its ProDerty
WASHINGTON, Nov. Felix Ehrman
Cnited States Acting Consul General at
Panama, which is now in the hands of the
revolutionists. informed the State DEPART
ment to-day that during last night the Co.
lomban gunboat Bogota threw some shells
into the city, killing one person, a China
man
Secretary Hay sent inst tr,ictions by tele-
graph TO MIR. Ehrman to protest to the
commander OF the Bogota against the she'll
ing One OF the grounds for the protest
was that due notice had not been given to
the inhabitants OF Panama that an attack
was to be made. The other and more
important ground was that the shellinc
endangered the property Of the Panama
Railroad Company, and. so Mr.. Ehrman
was directed to say, interfered with free
transit across the Isthmus, which the
United States is bound by treaty to pre-
serve
Should the Bogota's commander ignore
the warning Of Mr.. Ehrnan and again shell
Panama, his vessel will undoubtedly
be seized by the cruiser Boston when she
arrives there.
MORE wARsH1Ps ORDERED THERE.
Consultations between officials of the
State Department and the Navy Depart
ment to-day resulted in teegraphic orders
70 Rear Admiral Henry Glass, who is at
Acapulco. Mexico. with the cruiser Marble
head, the monitor Wyoming and the gun
boat Concord. to go to Panama He was
'oId to stop at San Juan del Sur, Nicara qua,
for further instructions. The distance
from Acapulco to Panama is I go miles
and the squadron will not be able TO cover
it in less than five days and some hours.
On his arrival, Admiral Glass will assume
command of the American land and naval
forces on the Isthmus and in its woters
The training ship Dixie. which he'd been
ordered to Colon before news of the sep
aratist outbreak was received here, got
away from Kingston. Jamaica, last night,
and should join the Nashville at Colon
tomorrow morning. She will land her
marine battalion, 400 strong. The cruiser
Boston arrived at San Juan del Sur, on the
Pacific coast side Of Nicaragua this morn
ing. and found there the orders telegraphed
from the White House last night TO hurry
to Panama. News of her departure for
the Isthn.ian port reached the Navy De-
partment this afternoon.
ho .
Jamaica, some time to-day. Her com
mander telegraphed the Navy Depart
ment that he had received his instruct ions
TO 60 to Colon, that he was taking coal
aboard. and that he would sail tomorrow
morning at o'clock,
In all, seven ships have been ordered to
the Isthmus. One is now at Colon and
two others will join her there. One ship
will reach Panama on Friday, and three
others will join her next week. These
ships, with the 400 marines of the Dixie,
carry about 1000 men. Half that number
can be landed
RAILROAD COMPANY ASKS FOR PROTECTION.
The State Department received tele-
gram to-day from the Panama Railroad
management in New York saying that the
conn any's agent at Panama teegraphed
that railroad property was imperllled
Thn Department was asked 10 protect the
property. The Western Union Telegraph
Company notified patrons that all tele-
graphic communications with Colombia
except with Panama and Colon, had been
cut off from that end of the line
WILL ADHERE TO THE TREATY
Admiral Glass and the commanders OF
tie rixie. the Boston. the Atlanta and the
Nashville have received instructions of
the most far-reachng character They
are 70 preserve peace and prevent blood
she'd on the Isthmus and prevent the in
terruption. Of trans Isthmian traffic and
any action Of either Colombian faction
which would curtail the present ability of
the Panama Railroad to carry freight and
Passengers These instructions indicate
thai the United States Government intends
to adhere to the very letter and spirit Of
the treaty of ls4s. by preventing any dis
n!rbance whatever within the limits of the
lsthmus
The question of whether they should
permit Colombian Government troops to
be carried across the Isthmus was left TO
the discretion Of the naval commanders.
The instructions to these commanders did
not say anything about the American forces
preserving neutrallty IN tne present Coli-
test, but it is taken for granted by the
Administration that they will do 20.
In spite Of reports and, assertions to the
contrary, nothing has developed yet to
show that the United States Government
has decided to assist the political move
ment having for its object the attainment
Of independence for the Isthmus. Offici-
ally il is declared that the Government
will preserve strict neut rality while carry
ing out its treaty obligations 10 protect
lsthnian transit from any interference
But privately the Administration authori-
TIES arc in full sympathy with the cause OF
The separatis;s. To what extent this feel
ING NAV govern the attitude of the Admin
'stra'ion has not yet appeared with any
degree Of clearness.
II seems 10 be the fact. however, that the
President and his advisers have gone step
Iurther in some respects, and not so far in
others than during any previous internal
trouble in Colombia, in carrying out the
oohgatlons imposed upon this Government
oy the treaty arranged between the United
"ates and New Grenada. now Colombia,