The Washington herald., 1907-01-22
JAMAICAN INCIDENT
CLOSED BY POWERS
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.


the trouble came.
London viii Appreciate Act.
/ It is, undoubtedly, a most gracious at
titude for this government TO take, and
one that will be appreciated in London
1 Had the government here called upon
/ Admiral Davis for a speedy report, with
an evident view to making representa-
lions to the British government. the stu
alton might quickly have grown into
serious international affair.
While the President and officials Of the
State Department are in accord on the
matter. they do not have the hearty ac-
| quiescence OF many naval officers, who
think that something should be done to
the person who so grossly mistreated an
admiral Of the navy. and who spurned
the kindly offers of assistance made By
this government
1t is declared at the Navy Department
| that the only adyiccs on the incident
which have reached Washington was
"A dispatch from from Rear Admiral
/ Evans yesterday morning from Guam
! tanamo. Admiral Evans reported the
! arrival there of the battle ships In
diana and Missouri. and the cruiser
I
/ meut IS not sure where the supply ship
/ Celtic is Her arrival at Kingston sun
| day was reported 70 the department yes
| terdly II is supposed that upon reach
/ ing Kingston and ascertaining what had
1 happened the Celtic went 10 sea again
| and returned 20 Guantanamo.
Evans Gives No Details.
Admiral Evans. in reporting the arrival
Of the ships from Kingston. did not give
/ any details, merely saying;
/ Missouri. Indiana. and Yankton re-
/ turned here. Services not required al
Kingston. Davis reports following mail.
/ This is the only official information
the State Department or the Navy he
ipartment had. yet officials said they were
quite satisfied and would call for no more
| information, but would wait for the mail
report from Admiral Davis.
/ ANY attempt TO discuss the affair In the
State Department or TO talk Of the pos
sibiHties of the case brought discourag-
/ ing answers. They could see 30 use agi-
/ -ating the thing when the government
/ had no intention OF giving it mitch
thought Every effort was made 20 show
/ that it was an unimpOrtant exhibition Of
/ temper by an AmeTican-hater who really
!
/ away from the fact that Gov SweJteu-
hams letter. the authenticity or which
/ no one cared 20 question, was rude 10 the
/ point Of being insulting Not only was be
/ very sarcastic about what Admiral Davis
! had said. but h. intimated that the adj
miraIs statements concerning the saving
/ by Americans Of safe containing 5000
worth ~ jeWelry from thieves was I'M
true. The governors references 10 the
dead being dead and their burial a mat
/ ter Of convenience" is regarded as brutal
and most unnecessary.
Naval Circles Indignant.
Naval officers and government officials
that is. those outside Of the State Depart
ment. who realized more quickly than the
others that the United States should not
/ become involved in a squabbIe with Great
Brtain-did not try 70 conceal their in
dignauon Of the action Of Gov Swetten-
ham. Whatever Admiral Davis may
have d0ne-whether he brvEe one or aI
of the international laws regarding the
right 20 land armed men on foreign soil
they consider that Gov. Swettenham had
no conceivable right 70 send such "a letter
The consensus of opinion is taat the
governor made a grave mistake. .rd that
be viii hear from his superiors In London
The government here viii make no ef-
fort % secure "a rebuke or reprimand for
/ the removal Of Gov. Swettenham But Of
tcials who publicly hold the opinion that
the incident amounts 10 nothing. MI
yately think that the British government
ought % chastise the governor "a some
way.
Question of International Law.
The whole affair is. OF course. regarded
as unfortunate and to be greatly deplored.
but IL is held that the British government
should not be blamed just because It's
governor Of jamaica failed u live up 20
British standards ia such an emereencv.
The whole point of the thing seems To be /
whether Admiral Davis landed blue
jackets contrary to International law. i'll
appears that fifty blucjdckets who wer- /
sent to look after the mutiny in the penf- 1
Tertiary went upon q request from one of
the governors subordinates. When the I
governor found out about it he was in .
dignant and after little Willie the blue I
jackets went back TO the ship again.
The governors first complaint appears /
to have been about the firing Of a salute /
His contention on this point is regarded 4
as silly. but even if it were justified by
the circumstances ne should have taken F.
"a different attitude, as Admiral Davis /
offered his apologies. The circumstances
demanded extraordinary steps and disre- /
gard for technical points. Had British F.
ships been in the harbor at San Francisco /
last spring and put ashore landing par I
ties TO assist in stopping the FIRE or to
help the authorities police the town, the
mayor OF Frisco would doubtless have /
aCquieSced
Snrnrfsed NJ His ..TnnnLsv