The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-04


notice from the officer commanding the
Colombian troops. Colonel Torres. through
the prefect OF Colon, 10 the effect that
" the Colombian officers Generals Tobal
and Amaya. who had been seized in
| Panama the evening OF the srd OF
November by the Independents and held
as prisoners, were not released by .
o'clock p. m. he. Torres. would open firs
on the town OF Colon and kill every
United States citizen In the place and
my advice and action were requested.
advised that all United States citi-
Gems should take refuge in the shed OF
the Panama Railroad company. stone
building susceptible of being put into
good state for defense. and that would
Immediately land such body OF men.
! with extra arms for arming the citizens.
as the complement Of the ship would per-
NIT. This was agreed to and | imme-
diately returned on board arriving at
lis p. m. The order for landing was I'm
medately given. and at 1870 p. m. the
boats left the ship with a party Of AZ
men under the command OF Lieut. Com
mander ii. NJ. WitzeE with Midshipman
]. p. Jackson as second In command.
Time being pressing gave verbal orders
to Mr. Witzel TO take the building above
referred TO. to put II into the best state
Of defense possible. and protect the lives
Of the citizens assembled there-not mr.
ing unless fired upon. The women ana
steamer Marcoman.a and Panama rail-
road steamer City OF Washington. both
ready to haul cut from dock II neces-
sary.
The Nashville I got under way and pa
trolled with her along the water front
close In and ready to use either small
gun or shrapnel fire. The Colombans
surrounded the building of the railroad
company almost Immediately after we had
taken possession, and for about one and
a half hours their attitude was most
threatening. II being seemingly their
purpose to provoke attack Happily
our men were cool and steady, and while
the tension was very great no shot was
fired. At about 3:15 p. m, Colonel Torres
came into the building for an interview
and expressed himself as most friendly
TO Americans. claiming that the whole
affair was a misapprehenson and that
he would like to send the alcalde of Colon
TO Panama to see General Tobal and
have him direct the discontinuance OF the
show OF force. A special train was fur
nished and safe conduct guaranteed
At about $50 p. m. Colonel Torres
made the proposition of Withdrawing his
troops to Monkey Hill, II I would with
draw the sNashviie's force and leave the
town in possession OF the police until the
. return of the alcalde on the morning OF
the 5th. After an interview with the
, United States consul and Colonel ShaleS
as to the probability OF good faith in the
matter. I decided to accept tho proposi-
ton and brought my men on board. the
disparity In numbers between my force
and that of the Colombans, nearly ten
to one. making me desirous OF avoiding a
conflict so long as the object In view.
, the protection OF American citizens. was
not imperiled.
/ am positive that the determined attl-
tude OF our men, their cooiness and evi-
dent intention OF standing their ground.
had a most salutary and decisive effect on
: the immediate situation and was the init
ial step in the ultimate abandoning OF
, Colon by these troops and their return to
Cartagena the following day. Lieutenant
Commander Witzel is entitled to much
praise for his admirable work In CON-
mand on the spot.
feel that can not sufficiently strongly
represent TO the department tho grossness
OF this outrage and the insult TO our dig
: nifty. even apart from the savagery OF the
I threat
!, Very respectfully.
JOHN HUBBARD.
Commander, u. s. Navy,
Commanding.
The Secretary OF the Navy.
Navy Department, Washington, d. c.,
MORE DETAILS.
In his letter OF November Commander
, Hubbard sets forth the facts more In de-
I tail:
, L. s. s. Nashville. Third Rate,
5 Porto Bello. L.. 8. Colombia, Nov. g. 1908.
5 Sir: 1. have the honor to make the fol.
lowing report of the occurrences which
4 took place at Colon and Panama In the
: interval between the arrival OF the NASH
5 vile at Colon on the evening OF Novem-
I ber 9, is03 and the evening OF November
: s. 1903, when by the arrival OF the U. 8. 8.
= Dixie at Colon / was relieved as senior
I officer by Commander r. IL Delano. Y. s,
navy
p e. At the time OF the arrival Of the Nash.
. Vile at Colon at $50 p. III. on November z
everything on the isthmus was quiet.
= There was talk OF proclaiming the inde-
pendence OF Panama, but no definite ac-
I ton had been taken and there had been
. no disturbance of peace and order. Ar
: daylight on the morning OF November
e II was found that vessel which had
come I'm during the night was the Colom-
{ bian glInboat Cartage2a carrying between
' 400 and 500 troops / Kad her boarded and
{ learned that these troops were for the
garrison at Panama. fnasmuch as the
Independent party had not acted and the
government OF Colombia was at the time
in undisputed control OF the Province OF
. Panama, did not feel. in the absence of
l any instructions. that | was justified in
preventing the landing of these troops.
and at $50 o'clock they were disembarked.
The commanding officers, Generals
n Amaya and Tobal. with four others. Inn
mediately went over 10 Panama TO make
Y arrangements for receiving and quarter
ing their troops, leaving the command In
I, charge OF an officer whom later learned
3 to be Colonel Torres The department s
message addressed TO the care OF the
United States consul received at 1850
{ a. m. I: II was delivered to one cf the ship &
4 boats while I was at tho consurs and not
h TO the consul as addressed. The message
{ was said TO have been received at the ca
Y BILE office at $3.50 a. m Immediately on de-
e ciphering the ge / went on shore to
= see what arrangements the railroad com
. pany had made for the transportation OF
e. these troops To Panama, and learned that
4 the company would not transport them
4 except on request of the governor OF Pan
e anna, and that the prefect at Colon and
the officer left ia command of the troops
n had been so notified by the general su-
y company.
n / remained at the company's office until