Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-14
SEIZED UNDERU,S,FLAG
Nicaraguan Raid on Pacific
Mail Liner Reported.
1000 RIFLES FOR HONDURAS
Both of the Republics Have Armed
Vessels at Sea.
BIG BATTLE Is APPROACHING
Guatemala, Salvador and Costa RIGA
May Become Embroiled in
the Conflict.

ouhpodt 1atumbla and the Mexican steam
er olympia left here yesterday ostensibly
pound for Trujillo. The object of the
cruise could not be ascertained
Inc Mexican vessel is under charter to
'he honduras government and has several
small guns mounted on her deck. On both
craft there are large forces of armed men
americans were hired by the government
70 man the quick firers An official denial
OF the report that Americans have been
forced TO serve with the Honduran troops
mas been issued.
Seized 1000 Rifles.
MOBILE, Ala, March IA cable dis
patch received here states that the Nicara-
guam government has seized 1000 rifles
from the cargo of the Pacific Mail Line
steamship City Of Para while it was in
10 the Honduras government and bound
Tor Amapala, but In some way their pres
ence on board the steamer was discovered
and the seizure took place.
The message stated that the arms had
been shipped from New York to Panama
and were being taken up the Pacific coast
to their destination.
Another says that the arms were taken
from the steamer at sea by a Nicaraguan
gunboat.
The report that the Nicaraguan forces
were pressing on to Tegucigalpa, the capt.
tai OF Honduras, which was conveyed in
the cable messages was confirmed by the
dispatch. 1t Is stated that the Nicaraguan
arms have had a succession of successes
President Zelaya's force at the front must
now number fully 10000 well-equipped SOL
diers.
President Bonilla has refused to admit a
single defeat, but the correspondent says
that his soldiers have been repulsed at
every encounter and that numbers OIL dis
gruntled Hondurans have Joined the In
vading forces. In fact, this tendency has
hnn ro1,
toTegucigalpa began, and it was generally
considered a matter Of but a few weeks be-
fore the interior capital would be compelled
to surrender and President Bonilla would
be deposed and exiled from his domain.
Campaign by Sea.
The Nicaraguans have begun a cam
paign by sea as well as by land and the
gunboat Ometepe was cruising on the
eastern coast Of Honduras, landing bands
of soldiers and subjugating the people of
the smaller towns. Their operations have
been unimpeded thus far. and it is said that
1t Is the aim of the marines to force their
way through the country to the Honduran
capital from the east
The report that Minister Merry had been
insuted by the Nicaraguan minister Of war
is branded as an exaggeration. A cable
dispatch received yesterday denied the en-
tire incident.
1t was also stated that President Zelaya
had no ambition to become the president
of a confederation of the five Central
American republics. On the contrary, 1t
was stated that President Zelaya had ex-
pressed determination to retire from the
office he has held for fourteen years just
as soon as he has been able to restore
peace and avenge insults to the Nlcaraguan
flag, which, he alleges, are the cause of the
present conflict.
1t Is said that assurances have been given
that Guatemala, Salvador and Costa Rica
will not become embroiled in the conflict
and that all will hold their hands off until
peace is declared There are individual
Guatemalans in the Nicaraguan armies,
but these are not friends of Estrada Ca
brera, president of Guatemala.