The Sentinel=record., 1914-05-13

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 tionalists were gaining was not stat ed The British government, whose nationals are heavily interested at Tampico, during the day ordered an- other warship to reinforce the Brit ish squadron in Mexican waters, the cruiser Bristol receiving sailing or
 ders for Tampico. The ship carries
 crew of nearly 400 men and her light draft would permit her to run up the Panuco river to TampicO and if necessary land men to protect the British oil wells A small squadron of marines from the Holland cruiser Kortenaer is ashore at the big Hol- land owned well, which at last re ports was in operation under it's Hol- land operatives.
 From the Pacific coast came a re. port that desultory fighting continued at Mazatan between General Obre' gon's Constitutionalists and the Fed era garrison. The Federal garrison at San Bias. a port 125 miles further south, had evacuated the town it was reported The garrison moved, it was declared in the direction of Mexico City. the inference being given that Huerta was drawing in available troops to assist him in maintaining himself in the capital. Acapulco, a Pacific port directly ysouth of the City of Mexico, was the scene oI fight ing between a Federal garrison and rowing bands of Zapatista adherents.
 The alarm evoked by the movement of Zapata in the direction of Mexico City and his ferocious threats against inhabitants of the capital continued to abate in the absence of confirma- tory news from Mexico City. Dis patches received in diplomatic quar- ters today made no mention of either Zapata or the military or mob uprs.
 ing against Huerta, which had been reported imminent and one message received from a legation at Mexico City in response to direct inquiry stated explicitly that no immediate danger in either direction was appre- heuded
 The following statement was issued by the navy department:
 "The facts giving the details re gardng the maintaining of the light on Lobos Island have been received from Admiral Badger and afford possible explanation of the impressio, received by Huerta that the United States had actually taken possession Of the island. The dispatch is given in its entirety. literally:
 Referring departments midnight Sunday determined that the only thing that coud be construed as oc equation of Lobos Island was that lighthouse keeper when leaving light was prevented from taking with him certain essential parts of light ma chinery and for personal protection of light keeper he was given by com mandng officer Tanning a certificate that light was taken by force. The operation of this light is considered of greatest importance to all vessels on this coast
 The previous telegram to which this is an addition is here repeated in or der that the matter may be cleared up:
 Replying departments midnight Sunday, destroyer flotilla is using anchorage in lee of Igobos Island as a basis for fuelng, provisioning and re- pairing About one-half fotilla ha- bitually there and one-half eff Tam nioo Only inhabitants of island were lighthouse keepers who abandoned island four or five days ago. They were offered provisions and supplies if they would remain but declined to do so. Since then fotilla has main tained light and guarded property on shore, Lighthouse keepers were told they were free to come and go as they pleased No occupation in mili- tary sense has occurred.
 (Signedl BADGER
 Prom the two telegrams it is evi- dent that there was no intent to seize the island or to occupy it in any mill tary sense The light on this island is essential to navigation, not only for the ships of the navy but for the merchant vesse S of all nations ire quentng the coast. Apparently on his own responsibility the lighthouse keeper not only abandoned the light but desired to permanently disable it by taking away essential portions of the machinery To have permitted this would have exposed not only our ships but the merchant ships of al! other nations to great peril and h was obviously necessary to reuse to| let the lighthouse keeper practically destroy this important aid to naviga tion. The commander of the Fan ning, wishing as an act of courtesy to the lighthouse keeper and to save him possibly serious consequences for hls
 desertion of his post, gave him a certificate that he was in no wise tt blame for his failure to bring the parts of the working machinery with him which he was directed to leave behind. The department is not ad