The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-01
CRUISER OLYMPIA
AT CARTAGENA
Was q Formal Visit to Bring
Minister a. N. eeauprs
to Colon.
RECEPTION WAS FRIENDLY

/
of the Olympia and Commanded
the Entrance-officers Not
MoIested.
Colon, Dec. 30.-Ad,,liral Coghlan's
flagship. the cruiser Olympia, arrived
here from Cartagena, bringing A. M.
Beaupre, United States minister to
Colombia, and Mrs. Beaupre
Minister and Mrs. Beaupre arrived
at Cartagena from Bogota last Satur-
day and boarded the Olympia on her
arrival. The Olympia Immediately
will sail II New York on the steamer
| Yucatan.
The reception of the Olympia at Car
tagena was friendly. The naval author
tiles here received Instructions from
Washington Christmas day not to send
the cruiser Atlanta, the converted
/ Castine to Cartagena, with the Olympia
as previously projected.
| The Olympia therefore sailed for
Cartagena alone at daybreak last Sat
urday, and arrived off the Boca Chicha
entrance to the big lagoon on which
Cartagena is situated. AS the Olympia
ran in toward the entrance she describ-
miles distant making every effort TO
reach the entrance and to pass into the
| lagoon ahead of the Olympia, which
she succeeded in doing.
| The Olympia steamed slowly to tie
| tortuous entrance between two old
| Spanish forts, which apparently We're
| deserted, and found that the Colombian
| cruiser had taken up a position a short
| distance inside, but commanding the
| entrance. 1t was learned subsequent
| ly that the Cartagena had grounded
\ there and that later she was towed into
| port.
The Olympia passed the Colombian
| warship and proceeded to. Cartagena,
| which is eight miles from the entrance.
Exchange Salutes.
| Anchoring about a mile from the
| town the Olympia hoisted the Colom-
bian flag at her main and fired a salute
of twenty-one guns. Shortly thereaf-
| ter the Colombian battery, at the edge
| of town, returned the salute.
| Admiral Coghlan then sent a boat
| ashore to communicate with United
States Consul Orr. but 1t was learned
that Mr.. Orr had left Cartagena about
a fortnight ago for Barranquilla. The
British vice consul at Cartagena, who
| Is very sick man and is hardly eN-
| pected to live, had undertaken to look
after United States interests pending
the arrival of Mr.. Orr's successor.
| Admiral Coghlan then arranged to
pay an official visit to DR.. Jose Insign-
ares, the governor of Bolivar, which he
I Captain Harrison G. o. Colby. Both
| officers We're in full dress uniform
| A big crowd gathered at the docks to
meet Admiral Coghlan and Captain
| Colby. and it silently followed the car
riage containing the officers through
| the streets to the palace, where an
| other big crowd had assembled
| Governor Insignares. surrounded by a
large number of secretaries and aloes,
received Admiral Coghlan in the large
| salon OF the palace, to which the
| populacewas admitted. The latter, how
ever, were separated from the dig
nitaries by railing.
Admiral Coghland and Governor
Insignares exchanged the regulation
formalities the crowd listening at
tentively. The governor said he would
| return the visit Immediately, where
upon Admiral Coghlan and his party
returned to the Olympia.
The officers We're in no way molested
or annoyed by the crowd, which fol-
lowed them closely all the time. Mel
ther by words nor looks did the pop
ulace display any hostility. The CO.
lombian battery fired rear admiral's
salute as the admiral pulled off for
the Olympia.
Gov. lnsignares Visited.
About 3 O'Clock in the afternoon
Governor Insignares, accompanied by
numerous retinue, boarded the Olym-
pia for the return visit, and remained
for fifteen minutes. When the govern
or and his retinue We're disembarking
the Olympia fired a governors salute
of seventeen guns, and Immediately
thereafter hoisted anchor and steamed
out of the lagoon.
While Admiral Coghlan and other
Americans We're treated civily and
courteously, and While their visit was
not marked by the slightest unpleasant
or untoward incident, it was evident
that the authorities at Cartagena We're
not very glad to see the Olympia, and
were glad when she took her departure
Admiral Coghlan was careful to leave
at the soonest possible moment, evi-
IDENTIFY remembering the absolute 10y
atty of the department of Bolivar to
the Bogota government.
1t is believed that the Bogota gov
ernment had spies in Cartagena Who
dence of disloyaity, since the Carta-
genan authorities evidently desired to
avoid all unnecessary friendliness with
the Americans. Governor Insignares
kept himself surrounded by his staff
OF secretaries during his interviews
with Admiral Coghlan. in order, no
doubt, to have witnesses to prove that
he was no more friendly than the cir
cumstances required.
No political references were made
during the interviews, except by the
chief of the Cartagena custom houses.
who. while aboard the Olympia, pro-
posed with great earnestness a toast
to the continuance of the friendly re-
lations between the United States and
Colombia.
Gained Little Information.
Comparatively little information as
to the general situation could be gained
at Cartagena. There are probably
$500 troops there, and there are re.
ported to be 5000 at Barranquilla, The
government is doubtless slowly concen-
trating troops at Barranqullla and
moving them toward Titumati in small
numbers.
There are probably 1900 Colombian
soldiers at Yitumati and vicinity to-