Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-01-04

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1904.
giving. transportation to the troops Of eth.
ef PARTY. s*Tf y H. H.. . y.
MOVEMENT OF TROOPS III.
STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
'.1t being then late in the evening, sent
tifcation to the general superintendent Of
the Panama railroad, to the project Of
Colon, and to the officer left In command
Of the Colombian troops, later ascertafned
to he Colonel Torres, that I had prohibit
ed the transportation Of troops In either
direction, in order to preserve the free and
uninterrupted transit Of the isthmus.
Copies Of these letters are hereto append.
ed; also copy of my notification to the
consul. Except to a few people, nothing
was known in Colon of the proceedings In
Panama until the arrival Of the train at
10:45 on the morning of the 4th. Some
propositions were, l was later told, made
to Colonel Torres by the representatives of
the new government at Colon, with view
to inducing him to re-embark in the Car
tagena and return to the port Of Carriage
M, and it was in answer to this PROPOSE
ton that Colonel Torres made the threat
and took the action reported In my letter
No. 90. of Nov. s, 1903. The Cartagena
left the port just after the threat was
made and I did not deem 1t expedient to
attempt to detain her, as such action
would certainly. in the then state of at
fairs. have precipitated a conflict on shore
which was not prepared to meet It Is
my understanding that she returned to
Cartagena. After the withdrawal Of the
Colombian troops on the evening of Nov.
4, and the return Of the Nashville's force
hno Nd tod In, 0offor IN
there was no disturbance on shore, and
the night passed quietly. On the morning
Of the 9Th discovered that the commander
Of the Colombian troops had not withdrawn
80 far from the town as he had agreed, but
was occupying buildings near the outskirts
Of the town. I Immediately inquired into
the matter and learned that he had some
trivial excuse for not carrying out his
agreement, and also that 1t was his inten.
ton to occupy Colon again on the arrival
Of the alcalde due at 1O:45 a. m, unless
General Tobal sent word by the alcalde
that he, Colonel Torres, should withdraw.
That General Tobal had declined to give
any instructions ! WAS cognizant of, and
the situation at once became quite az &C.
rious as on the day previous. I Immediate
ly landed an armed force, reoccupied the
same building: also landed two one-pound.
ers and mounted them on platform cars be.
hind protection of cotton bales, and then
in company with the United States
consul had an interview with Colo
I informed him that I had roland.
ed my men because he had not kept
his agreement: that l had no interest In
the affairs of either party; that my attitude
was strictly neutral; that the troops OF
neither side should be transported; that
my sole purpose In landing was to protect
the lives and property of American citi-
fhrnQfnnod
threatened, and to maintain the free and
uninterrupted transit of the isthmus, and
that purpose l should maintain by force
IL necessary. ] also strongly advised that
In the interests Of peace, and to prevent
the possibility Of a conflict that could not
but be regrettable, he should carry out his
agreement Of the previous evening and
withdraw to Monkey bill.
"Colonel Torres only reply was that 1t
was unhealthy at Monkey hill, reiteration
Of his love Of Americans, and persistence
In his intention to occupy Colon should
General Tobal not give him directions to
the contrary.
"On the return of the alcalde at about
II a. m the Colombian troops marched in
to Colon. but did not assume the threaten
Ing demeanor Of the previous day. The
American women and children again went
on hoard the Marcomania and City Of
Washington, and through the British vice
SOusui . OucFeu pTOleCLtOu 10 brttlSu SUD
5ects as directed in the departments ca
blegram. A copy of the British vice con
sul's acknowledgment Is hereto appended.
The Nashville ! got under way as on the
previous day and moved close in to pro
tect the water front. During the afternoon
several propositions were made to Colonel
Torres by the representatives of the new
government, and he was finally per
suadcd by them to embark on the
Royal Mail steamer Orinoco with all
his troops and return to Cartagena.
The Orinoco left her dock with the
troops-474 all told-at 1885 p. m. The
Dixie arrived aud anchored at 7:O5 p. M,
when l went on hoard and acquainted the
commanding officer with the situation. A
portion Of the marine battalion was land
ed and the Nashvilles force withdrawn.
3. On the evening Of Nov. Major Will
hm NJ. Black and Lieutenant Mark
Brooke, Corps of Engineers, u. s. A.,
came to Colon from Culebra and volun-
teered their services, which were accepted,
and they rendered very efficient help on
the following day.
J had no part whatever In the negotiations
that were carried on between Colonel
Torres and the representatives Of the pro-
Visional government; that l landed an
armed force only when the lives of Ameri-
can citizens were threatened, and withdrew
this force as soon as there seemed to be no
grounds for further apprehension Of in
Jury to American lives or property; that l
relanded an armed force because of the
failure Of Colonel Torres to carry out his
agreement to withdraw and announced in
tention Of returning, and that my attitude
throughout was strictly neutral az between
the two parties, my only purpose being to
protect the lives and property of American
citizens and to preserve the free and unin-
terrupted transit of the isthmus.
Every Respectfully, JOHN HUBBARD.
"Commander, U. s. Navy, Commanding.
"The Secretary Of the Navy, Bureau Of
Navigation, Navy Department, Washing
ton, d. c."
AMERICAN CALAMITY
PREVENTED DISASTER.
This plain official account Of the occur
fences Of Nov. 4, shows that, instead Of
there having been too much provision by
the American government for the main
tenance Of order and the protection of life
A.