New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-12
INVASION ABANDONED.
C0LOMBIANS LOSE HEART.
Troops at the AtratO Gre Up T'osE'
Il Return to Bogota.

=, Governor Melendez. in an In
teryiew to-day. said
-. a.. learned unoflcialiy. through pas
-s - rhe French steamer Fournel, when
s--i,,e5 here to-day from Sa1Ilusea M. -
q - ,Tarships General Pinzon ana Carta-
OVlu--i - y-s-ragena at the beginning OF De-
- sewing board the same A1' TROOPS
Ger l..-si Tovar brought 10 Colon These
VIC 80 AZ the Rio Atrato. with instructions
NeLe s1s road toward Panama, but after ter
.e 49, sss-f-g for four DAYS in their efforts
70 - - ne river in small boats and canoes,
70 - m want of provisions 81 all kinds.
- -r-ries having been soaked with water
~ .~nierely spoiled. the troops resolved not
a. ~ further. The passengers also affirm
70 s. o1e have since returned to Cartagena
So hiss been received here from the inte-
L. n the effect that 1000 Colombian troOus
Isf- Pogota a fortnight ago To go down the
WsrdaIena River. hUt on reaching Honda they
received orders countermanding the movement
ard returned 70 Bogota on December . L is
believed that General Reyes is responsible for
the counternanding Of the march.
Admiral CoEhlaa has received q letter brought
hv The Fcu-nel from Luther T Ellsworth
United States Consul at Car;agena. which says
mat the Colombian warship Cartagena left
Carraeera early in December. carrying about
eight hundred soldiers its destination being the
Atrato River district The contents Of the let
ter. which give no details OF the movement. have
been transmitted 20 Washington
The Naya0ve-, which left here yesterday Will
ioiu the Atlanta. and both vessels viii proceed
10 The Gulf Of Darien for the purpose Of obtain
inr definite information as 10 what is happen
ing there. The Mayfowe- VIII return immediate
II and report 10 Admiral Coghlan.
General Melendez also said to-day that he had
sent commissioners TO the chiefs in the Indian
territory requesting them 10 come 10 Colon and
discuss with the officials Of the government i'm
portant matters concerning their interests One
~
has already arrived here. He gives assurance
that Colombian troops have Tot been seen in his
territory. and. further that they would not be
allowed 10 cross the country. Other chiefs from
san Bias and Cape Mosquito who have accept
ed the governments invitation are expected to
srr.ve here soon.
TIE FourneI was the first vessel TO reach this
port since the decree closing those ports 10 YES
sels 70 and from Colon was cancelled. The
authorities OF the Department Of Bolivar are
Erfu un7ecouciled 10 the loss Of the isthnus and
apparently DO not regard the situation as hope
less. since they issued clearance papers not for
the Republic Of Panama. but for Colon. De
pa-tarento de Panama"
A degree signed by Governor Insignares.
dated Cartagena. December 2. say:
Bv virtue Of instructions received by way Of
Port Liraon from his eXcellency the nmander
Pacific i has been resolved 10 give preference
20 automatic methods in dealing with the gov
eminent Of the United States IN regard 70 the
Efforts made 10 defend our sovereignty and ma
rioral integrity diminished by the secession OF
Panama Therefore. the causes which deter
mined this government 10 adopt measures 70
prevent Communication with the rebel depart
rnert having ceased, Il IS now proposed that all
citizens NAV travel freely without the obligation
OF obtaining passports. and il becomes incun-
terr On the civil and military authorities TO give
an The necessary guarantees 10 those entitled TO
me same Consequently. il is decreed that Ar
ricle II II Decree No. - Of November Ii, pro-
limiting all communication and commerce be-
tween this department and Panama is tempo
rarily suspended
PIE Fo-rnel reports that the Colombian
cruisers General Pinzon and Cartagena are
both a. Cartagena-
The Spanish steamer Buenos Ayres has ar
rived here from Port Limon with a number
OF Colombiaus on board, bound for Savarilla-
The Pauaman officials here placed a squad OF
soldiers on guard al the pier to prevent the
ColCmuians' eEress Among the Colomblans
were many persons recently expelled from Colon
Washington Dec. Il Information has
reached the Navy Department 10 the effec'
thar the Colombian troops which were said Il
have landed ~ the mouth of the Atrato River
mar.h on The isthmus have been with
drawn. The state Department also received
cable dispatch from Consul General GudgeT. a
Panama, announcing that the Colombian expe
dition 10 Panama according 10 his informa ton
nae heen abandoned-