Arizona republican., 1914-05-12
While Peace Negotiations Await Sitting of Media tors, Detention of Silli- man and Lighthouse Seiz- ure Give New Concern.
CONSUL'S RELEASE
 FORMALLY DETAINED
Seizure of Lobos Lighthouse Not Violation of Armis- tive But Protective Meas ure for Navigation on the Atlantic Coast.
,ssor,.rrn DRESS DrspArCHl


 WASHINGTON, May 11.-While peace negotiations marked time pend ing the formal sittings of the mediators to begin on Monday on Canadian soil the mediators and officials of the state department were occupied with several serious phases of the Mexican situa- tion. Bryan spent two hours at the Argentine legation in conference with the South American envoys, discussing the continued detention of Vice Consul Silliman at Saltillo by the federals, the reported seizure of Lobos Island with d lighthouse by Americans and the case of the five South Americans under ar rest at Vera Cruz for firing upon American sailors and marines. Bryan said the government is determined that Silliman be immediately released. He informed the mediators that Mayo had cabled that the Mexican keeper had de- serted the Lobos Island lighthouse and that the destroyer tender Dixie ''is maintaining it for the benefit of navi- gation."
 Justice Lamar of the United States supreme court and Frederick Lehman, former solicitor general, have been chosen by the president as the Ameri can representatives at the mediation conference.
 In administration circles it is con tended that the seizure of Lobos Island was not an act of aggression against Huerta, but merely a step to protect all shipping against possible disaster as a result of closing the light house by the federals Huerta's representatives appointed to confer with the mediators are preparing to leave Vera Cruz for Canada. They are, Augustine Rodri- guez, Emilio Rabasa and Luis Elguero. The mediators expressed satisfaction in the selection of advisors for both governments An appeal had been ] made to Bryan by the mediators in be- 1 half of Huerta because of the reported l seizure of Lobos Island off Tampico. an act which Huerta's agents main | tained was aggressive and in violation Of the armistice This government
 maintains that Huerta violated the ar mistice in ordering the lighthouse closed on the Pacific coast to the peril
 of shipping.
 | From Tampico came rumblings of | battle while reports of Huerta's strength waning in Mexico City and l that the bandit leader Zapata is about
 to attack the capital from the south.
 served to arouse the diplomatic agents | of foreign nations to the fact that their
 people in Mexico City might be in inn | mediate danger.
 l The state department officials were | indigant when it became known the 1 Mexicans had refused to release Siili- man. Late dispatches were accepted as | indicating the Mexican war minister's
 assurances to the French charge last l week that neither Silliman nor any
 member of the embassy staff and no
 American in Saltillo were in danger
 were intended only to deceive the state
 department officials to the real state 1 of affairs in Saltillo.
 l All Americans who will leave are now , out of TampicO. Mayo cabled the navy 1 department The dispatch made. no reference to fighting between the reb- els and federals.