The San Francisco call., 1907-01-25
NAVAL OFFICIALS s
SUPPORT DAVIS
Report on Kingston Affair
Reveals No Cause for Gov
ernor Swettenham's Insult
PRECEDENT is CITED

WASHINGTON. Jan. 24.-Presiden,
Roosevelt received cablegram tonight
from Most Rev DR.. Nutall, Lord Arch
bishop of the West Indies, and chair
man of the Kingston relief committee
rendering his thanks for the prompt
visit of the American warships under
Rear Admiral Davis. The message fol-
lows:
in our distress and the prompt visit of your
men-of-war for cur succor Happily. the supply
o l90e b o. T % Ss Isel ons rs sufficient After
will be the means for making small houses hab-
liable. All our people are behaving splendidly.
The receipt of the official text of the
correspondence between Rear Admiral
Davis and Governor Swettenham of
Jamaica, which did not differ from the
communications transmitted by the AS
sociated Press last Saturday night,
caused the naval officials again to study
the situation to see If Admiral Davis
had in any way transgressed the bounds
of propriety on his visit to Kingston.
They not only found a precedent for his
landing men from his ships to preserve
order, strangely enough in the case OF
another British island in the West In
dies, but also saw nothing in the whole
affair TO warrant the letter addressed
to him by Governor Swettenham.
METCALFvS STATEMENT
Secretary Metcalf late this afternoon
gave out the following statement bear
ing on the subject:
The department has received the full text Of
the correspondence between Rear Admiral Davis,
commanding the squadron of naval vessels which
visited Kingston Jamaica, after the earthquake.
and Sir Alexander Swettenham, Governor of
Jamaica.
From this correspondence it appears that Ad-
miral Davis landed a party Of six TO guard
and secure the archives OF the American con-
sulate and another party of ten men for the
purpose of clearing away the wreckage. Later,
on the earnest entreaty of the Colonial Secre-
tary and the inspector of police. who spoke for
the Governor (the Governor being away from
the city and at Kings House, three miles dis
tant), men landed under arms to overawe
an alleged mutiny at the penitentiary. contain
ing five or six hundred prisoners. Admiral
Governor at Kings House and found him living
with his family in tents and accompanied
noon. on the request of the Governor. the men
were withdrawn from shore and returned to
their ships.
The action of Admiral Davis In landing under
the circustances is not without precedent, there
being numerous cases TO justify 1t. and an
R. W. Meade. % e. S. T., in landing ain-' mem at at
Port Of Spain. Trinidad. to suppress fire and
letter by the Governor Of the island of Trini-
dad expressing his gratitude for the action is
shown herewith:
''Sir: / have the honor to report to the de-
paAlHieuA ludt eDONl sou II. IL On MATCH a
IRE was discovered in the city of Port of Spain,
Trinidad. which soon increased TO such an ex-
tent that IL seemed likely that the whole city
would be destroyed. Orders were given to the
New York the Raleigh and the Cincinnati to
prepare to land fire parties when the signal
should be made. An officer was despatched to
consulate with offers Of assistance, but be-
fore his return the fire had assumed such alarm
Ing proportions that the signal was made for
the parties to land at once.
lone hundred bluejackets and twenty-five a
rines were landed from the New York, and
with ten from each OF the other ships, all
under the command Of Lieutenant Commander
Swift. the executive officer of this ship.
About ten minutes after the parties had
left the ships l received a note from the Gov
ernor OF the colony asking for assistance. and
this morning | received a letter. a copy of
which is inclosed. thanking for the services
the officers and the men performed shore.
'R. w. MEADE, Reav Admiral