The Washington times., 1906-02-07
LATIN COUNTRIES
CUT OFF BY CABLE
Communication With South
America Now Impossible.
GOVERNMENT Is ANxi0 u S
Probable Seismic Disturbances May
Have Caused Existing
Conditions.
GOVERNMENT is ANXIOUS

Has Mt PeIee broken loose in a terri
bic disruption aga u? Has Mt Soufriere
on the southern coast of Gaudeloupe,
which projects mile into the sky and
Is the highest mountain in all the West
Indies. overffowCd the little country
with its lava? las some other volcanic
mountain given away or has the earth
quaked and a crater been formed in the
earth IN the West Indies or northern
South America?
These are questions that are present
ing themselves To Government officials
ana West Indian and South American
members Of the Diplomatic Corps.
Communication Cut Of.
The first reason for these questions
IS the fact that all cable communion
ton TO South America and the West
Indies below Jamaica, including even
Porto Rico. is interrupted and no mes
sases have been gotten through either
to America or European countries for
nearly ten DAYS past. The second reason
is the fact that earthquakes and minor
seismic eruptions in the islands and on
the continent have been reported from
time 20 time lately.
Officials interested who have been
to the conclusion that these minor DIS
turb rbances possibly have gwen away TO
some gigantic disaster. either breaking
the cables or producing a condition Of
the water that would interrupt com
munication.
The terrible outbreak of Mt Pelee. on
the French island of Martinique, which
occurred nearly four years ago Win
tremendous loss of life, is recalled, ana
attempts have been made IN VAIN Wlthh
the past few days to ascertain IT any
thing dreadful has happened in the sup
| posed danger zone.
Disturbances Reported,
| Disturbances an along the west coast.
/ from Nicaragua down TO Ecuador. have
/ been reported within the past few
weeks Early in January mountain
/ village in Ecuador was reported as
annfhIIated by an earth shock caused
hv a volcano. and a week later a town
/ in Nicarsg qua was reported as practi-
tcaIIv destroyed by earthquake. The lat
! est adviees from Colombia, which came
| ten days ago by way Of Europe and
were several days delayed. stated that
he little city of Buenaventura. on the
/ west coast had suffered 4 heavy loss OF
/ life and property by seismic disturb
Gnce-
/ Venezuela Cut On.
The situation in Venezuela is stin
more interesting at the present time.
and the State Department is anxious to
keep in close touch with the seat OF
President Castro's government Minis
| ter Russell. at hat point, has not been
able to get a cablegram through for al
most two weeks, however. and at the
same time steamship transportation. in
cluding the mails, has been considerably
hampeTed.
Louis H Ayme, American consul at
Para. who has just arrived IN Washing
ton is considerably disturbed over the
| interruption of cable communication.
| Colonel Ayfne arrived in New York
| from his Brazilian post ten days age,
and he has not been able to receive
any information from that port since
| he reached this country a number OF
| Americans are extensively engaged in
| the rubber industry at Para. and on the
| Amazon. and the sevsr1ug OF direct Ca
| BILE communication would mean big
| loss to them IN the market.