The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-04-22
CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE
CABINET HEARS PARTICULARS
OF TAMPICO INCIDENT.
United States Marines in Uniform of
Their Country Were Arrested by
Federals at Tampico.

The status OF the arrest OIL lIo
American marines and the subsequent
demand by Admiral Mayo, as sum-
moned up by cabinet officers and 9TH
er officials. was described as follows:
Assistant Paymaster Charles c. Copp
and boatload of marines landed at
Tampico last Thursday to obtain sup
plies. They were arrested, but later
discharged. In accordance with reg
ulations in all navies Of the world
Rear Admiral Mayo, on considering
that an unwarranted arrest had been
made and that the uniform Of the
American navy had been disregarded,
demanded reparation in the form Of a
salute of twenty-one guns.
"The American flag, while not
taken ashore, was flying at the stern
of the whaleboat and all the marines
were in uniform. Rear Admiral Mayo
allowed the Huerta commander until
O'Clock that evening to fire salute,
but later extended the time to af-
ford the commander an opportunity
to communicate with his superior Off
GERS in Mexico City. A statement OF
apology was issued in Mexico City by
Gen. Huerta, and the officer who ar
rested the marines was ordered pun
ished.
"This did not satisfy the United
States government and the salute
was insisted upon. Gen. Huerta him
self at no time agreed to comply, but
an under secretary in the Mexican for
eign Office did inquire Of Charge
O'Shaughnessy if a salute fred to the
gunboat Dolphin and responded to by
the American ship would be accept
able. This was emphatically rejected
by the United States and word was
sent that nothing short of a public
salute to the American flag would be
satisfactory"
This was the situation laid before
the cabinet Tuesday by the president.
Some administration officials were in
clined to wait for more facts and do
nothing until an Investigation had
been completed. Others suggested
that Huerta would evade the issue.
and that prompt and vigorous action
was necessary. John Lind, 1t Is un-
derstood, in his conference with the
president and Secretary Bryan had
counselled a forceful move.
For two hours the cabinet discuss
ed the pros and cons and the possible
consequence of drastic action, and the
plan Of sending the fleet as a warn
Il ing to Huerta Of the lengths to which
the Washington government was pre-
pared to go to enforce it's policy was
unanimously adopted. There was no
previous intimation that the naval
demonstration would be ordered, but
this, as we'll as other moves, had been
discussed on many an occasion in the
past.
Cabinet officers and others were in
sistent that no change in the general
policy toward Mexico. was imminent
and that so far as possible the fac.
tions would,be left:to fight, their bat
ties unhampered by American inter
ference. Officials declared with en-
Iphasis that no other phases Of the
Mexican situation beyond the affront
to the flag at Tampico were involved
in the dispatch of the feet, though
Ioficials admitted the strategic value
Eof having so big fighting force in
proximity to a country in which emer-
gencies might arise at any time.
"Action, not words" was the way
cabinet officers described the answer
of the United States to Huerta's un'
Willingness to fire a salute when de-
lmanded by the American government
l