The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-05-15
Hot International
Issue Raised on
Argentine Vessel
Deck Hand HOSTS Boarding Lad
der While Quarantine ohicsr 4,
Is on ship.

just when the foreign relations of
the United States were in a precarions.
~ delicate stage on account Of the ap.
proaehing sessions Of a court Of medi.
alton which is to arbitrate the Admin
fstration's dispute with Huerta along
comes deck hand on the Argentine
training ship Presidente Sarmiehto and
butts headlong into the international
situation, making what seems like a
hopeless mess Of il by hosting the port
boarding ladder Of the ship before Cap
tain Archibald N. Sinclair, acting as
sistant Surgeon of the United states
Public Health Service, had been con-
suited as to whether he wished to re-
turn to his launch via the aforesaid
boarding ladder or 60 remain on the
vessel until it locked.
To those unframed in marine ETH
qnette the incident as described may
appear trivial, but its deep significance
and far-reaehing effect Is thoroughly
understood by veteran waterfronters.
When that fool deck hand raised
that port boarding ladder, said one Of
them yesterday afternoon In comment.
ing on the incident, 'Ahe raised with IL
I'm international question which, un-
less an adequate apology to Captain
sinclair is Forthcoming before another
sunrise, is liable TO throw the Mexican
situation into total eclipse. Mind you;
am not thoroughly informed as to the
lamentable occurrence, but IL it's half
ms bad as it looks TO me now ] predict
that, in spite of all the Juggling of
diplomatic verbiage and backing and
filing of the ship Of state, that Is Ger,
tain to ensue, there win be a mighty
big job for The Hague tribunal.
Viewed from any angle the Incl
dent involves a serious breach Of inter
national courtesy and fairly bristles
with serious questions-some Of them
as big as whale hooks. Just wait un-
til the department at Washington hears
OF the way Captain Sinclair was treated
on that Argentine ship then you N APP
preciate what IL means for a deck
hand or any one else TO hoist a port
boarding ladder while a quarantine Off
Ger is aboard vessel unless the board.
ing officer has given the word to hoist
away W
Others along the front who had
heard of the occurrence on the Argen-
tine ship were equally dubious as to the
outcome.
Captain Sinclair was inclined TO be
retieent when he was asked for his
version Of the difficulty between him.
self and the officers Of the Presidente
sarmiento. He preferred not to talk
while the question involved was before
his superiors for consideration. How
ever, he admitted that Immediately af-
ter coming ashore he had called the at
tention Of Captain Trotter to the Incl
dent aboard the ship and, with view
70 having his complaint taken up
through diplomatic channels had sought
the Argentine consular representative.
Having ascertained that the republic
had no consul here he intimated that a
letter would be addressed to Capt. Abel
Renard Of the training ship requesting
an explanation.
Captain Renard did not seem to view
the situation with alarm. He told a
reporter that while Captain Sinclair
was in the wardroom Of the ship the
deck officer got the impression that the
boarding officer wished to remain on
the vessel until 1t locked SO he had the
port ladder hoisted 4
As the ship was steaming toward its
berth Captain Sinclair came on deck,
he said, and, finding the ladder had
been hoisted, demanded to know why
i was not left down 50 that he could
return to his launch.
Captain Sinclair complained to me
and l learned that he wanted the
boarding ladder lowered said the
commander of the Sarmiento. ~ then
had the ladder put back where IL was
and that is all there was TO it,,