The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-06-09
HUERTA DECIDES NOT
TO FORCE j. S. HAND
Secretary Bryan Receives Off
cial Notification.
BLOCKADE CALLED OFF
Dictator Decides Not TO Take Chance
on Disrupting Peace Conference
at Niagara Falls.

decided, after all, not to blockade
Tampico and force the hand of the
United States with the possibility of
disrupting the mediation proceed
ings at Niagara Falls. MIR. Riano,
the Spanish ambassador, notified
Secretary Bryan officially to that eff
feet today.
Thus, the latest crisis in the Mex
lean situation, fraught with posi-
bilities of renewed hostilities between
Huerta and the United States, has
passed over.
What actuated Huerta's reversal
does not appear in the brief official
advices which reached Wellington,
but there were broad intimations
that the influence which has caused
the dictator to rescind his order had
gone to Mexico City all the way from
Niagara Falls. 1t was sara the med
iators and the Mexican delegates had
been urging Huerta in the strongest
possible terms to withdraw from his
position and let the mediation pro-
ceed.
PRESSURE CAUSED CHANGE.
1t did not appear here that Huer-
ta's change of position had been CON
tingent upon any change of plans for
the cargo of the steamer Antilla,
steaming for Tampico with arms for
the Constitutionalists. 1t had been
suggested that possible pressure upon
the owners of the ship might cause
them to divert her.
One thing, however, was plain.
President Wilson was determined
that Tampico should be kept open to
the commerce of the world and the
American ships under Rear Admiral
Mayo were in evident readiness to
enforce it,
Whether the Antilla's war cargo
would have been considered as com
merce had the situation come to the
point OF break all officials here de-
cline to say.
Unofficial reports which reached
Washington early today were of such
a character that there seemed. to be
good grsund for believing that the
dictator had determined, after all l.,
not to blockade Tampico in the face
of President Wilson's determination
that 1t should be kept open to the
commerce of the world and thereby
force the hand of the United States
again, with the possibility of disrupt
ing the mediation proceedings at Nj
agara Falls.
ORDERS NOT CHANGED.
While all officials here preserved
a significant silence on what would
be the action of Rear Admiral Mayo
at Tampico if the Mexican gunboats
Bravo and Zaragosa should attempt
to interfere with the liner Antilla,
bearing a war cargo for the Consti-
tutionalists, it was pointed out that
the orders to keep Tampico an open
port had not been changed. From all
outward appearances, the American
warships lying at the mouth of the
river were prepared to enforce them.
The Baragosa and Bravo should
have arrived at Tampico about 5
O'Clock this morning. Followed by
the United States ships Sacramento
and Tacoma they passed Vera Cruz
yesterday. In the absence OF any
new report today Secretary Daniels
wirelessed Read Admiral Badger for
a report of their position. The pos
sibility that Huerta's decision not to
blockade the port may have diverted
them, was taken into the reckoning
here, but that was considered doubt
full ns the Mexican ships have very
inefficient wireless
GUNBOATS ORDERED BACK.
General Huerta's dispatch request
ed the Spanish ambassador to inform
the American government that the
suspension Of the blockade had been
decreed by General Huerta and that
orders had been given to the Mexican
gunboats TO return to Puerto Mexico.
1t was added that this action was in
spired by a sincere desire not to
jeopardize mediation.
In diplomatic circles this was re-
garded as conclusive evidence that
Huerta had placed the fate of his
government and the settlement of the
Mexican problem fully in the hands