The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-18
RESENT CRUISER SPRESENCB
GoLoMBIANs EXCITED OYER VISIT OF THE ATLANTA.

Ask That the Vessel bo wtthdrnwn- Demand That American Flag be Lowered, Ignored Force of I,500 or 5000 Men Discovered Near the Atrato River.
 Colon, Dec. 17--7:30 a. m.--The United States cruiser Atlanta, Commander William H. Turner, returned here last night from the Gulf of Darien. She discovered on December 15 a detach- ment of Colombian troops, numbering yisually about 300 men, but, according 1 to their statements, totaling 1,500 or g. 900 men, at Titumati, on the western side of the gulf. just north of the mouth of the Atrato river and due east from Yaviza.
 The commander of the Atlanta sent ashore an officer, who conversed with the Colombians' commander. The lat ter protested energetically against the presence of American warships in Co., 1 lombian waters, inasmuch 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 mander Turner ignored the request and l the Atlanta returned to Colon to report 1 to Rear-Admiral Coghlan.
 The Colombians are clearly busy with protective and strengthening measures. l Although they treated the Americans courteousIy, they decidedly resented the presence of the Atlanta's landing par i ty. The Colombian force was composed partly of the men landed recently at the Atrato river by the Colombian cruisers 1 Cartagena and General Pinzon.
 Early in the morning of December 15 the Atlanta sighted a small schooner in the middle of the Gulf of Darien and followed her to the western shore,
 where the schooner attempted to hide behind an islet. Lieutenant Harlan F. Perrill, of the Atlanta, was ordered to
 board her, and thereupon a Whaleboat was lowered and pulled towards the schooner. Through the courtesy of the naval officers the correspondent of the Associated Press accompanied the par l " III liie WlletdSpOiIs ~ zNoS AOA1S l that the schooner had on board hum
 dred armed Colombian soldiers, com
 manded by General Rafael Novo, who
 said that General Daniel Ortiz, com i mander-irl-ch of the Colombian forces of the Atlantic and the Pacific, had large camp a mile away, onst the mainland. General Novo requested Lieutenant Perril1 to land and confer
 with General Ortiz. After temporarily returning to the Atlanta Lieutenant Perrill went back to the schooner I which in the meantime had taken up a
 position off beach within a small bay l Great excitement prevailed among the ] Colombians on the whaleboat's ap- kproach. There were repeated cries of
 'sViya. Colornbia!" and there was a sud. den concentration of about 15o Colon1- bian soldiers on the beach. For some moments the situation appeared dan
 gerous and had the appearance of ar 1 ambuscade. General Ortiz appeared or
 the beach when Lieutenant Perril
 went ashore, the whaleboat in the meanwhile lying close to the beach.
 l. Generalr Otiz, insisted that Lieuten.
 ant Perrill should fly the Columbian flag at the bow of the whaleboat, ol flower the American flag at her stern because she was in Colombian waters
 Lieutenant Perrill replied that he dit not have Colombian flag and refused to lower the stars and stripes. Genera l Ortiz did not insist upon his doing so
 but he protested in writing against thu presence of the Americans in Colom
 bian waters. Lieutenant Perrill accepted
 the protest and conveyed it to Comman, Ider Turner, who handed it to Rear Ad
 miral Coghlan on his arrival here.
 During the conference with the Co llombians ashore Lieutenant Perrill wa!
 surriounded by General Ortiz's staff
 while inland a few Daces there was {
 semi-circle os armed sentinels. Tn,
 beach in both directions was also linet
 by sentinels. General Ortiz did not per
 init Lieutenant Perrill to leave the poin
 e. the beach where he landed. Whil,
 Perrill was awaiting the Colombian pro
 test, Lieutenant Edward B. Manwaring
 United States marine corps, command
 ing the marine guard Of the Atlanta
 rowed up in a cutter for the purpose 0
 communicating with Lieutenant Peril | /,No,+,,.,,.l rrt,,.a