The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-26
ASK US. TO MAKE
COLOMBIA NEUTRAL
Loss of Two British Cruisers Is
Attributed to German Wire
less Activity There.

LONDON. Nov. 2i-rhe Earl Of
Ronaldshay. in the House OF Commons
this afternoon asserted that the loss of
the cruisers Good Hope and Monmouth
would not have occurred ii II had not
been for breaches OF neutrality on the
part OF Ecuador and Colombia lie asked
the Government what evidence there was
OF such breaches and II protest had
been lodged with the United states
Charles Roberts. Under Secretary -
State for the Colonies. replying in behalf
of the government, said the Govern
ment's information indicated that Colon
hia and Ecuador had failed in certain
respects to observe strict neutrality and
that their failure is likely to result dctri-
mentally to England.
lie said that the principal compa'rt
against Colombia referred TO the hi,n
power radio station at CartagcDI. Charge
a. Affaires Bowles at Bogota had repeatedly
tried to get the Colombian Government
since the war began either 10 remove
the German stan OF the station or Ia,
institute a strict control 20 as TO prevent
the sending Of any unneu;ral messages
Mr. Bowles then sought to have the station
closed altogether.
MIR. Roberts said III" replies received
from the Colombian Government left
doubt regarding the effectiveness Of the
MIR. Roberts then declared that tho
Governments of Great Britain aud Franc"
had asked the United States To- use its
good offices To compel the republics Of
Colombia and Ecuador to observe more
strictly tn rules of neutrality. Unless
these republics adhere more strictly to
the neutrality regulations IL was an
nounced the British and French Govern
meuts may he compelled in srlf-drfcnCc
,,ly nah, that auN
slider necessary for the protection Of their
interests.
The British naval attaCho at Washing
ton the under Secretary added. was sent
to Colombia 10 investigate the station and
reported that while II nOminally was M
der the censorship OF the Colombian Gov
eminent II really was entirely under Ger
man influence. The st;ache also reported
that German merchant ships IN Colombian
harbors. while ostensihlN dismantled, con-
tnued to use their wireless.
Considering that further representations
to the Colombian Government were not
likely to he of avail Mr. Roberts said
that the Government in operation with
the French Government, had decided to
ask the good offices of the United states,
\ similar communication was made To
the United States regarding Ecuador on
the following grounds First, mat the
Ecuadoran Foreign Minister had him
Charge d Anaires at Quito, and his french
colleague that German warSh!ps had con
verted the islands Of Galapagos into
naval has, second. that Ecuador had
failed to comply with the Anglo French
request that she control properly the aero
graph station At Guuayaquil Mr. Jerome
and his colleague agreed that further pro-
tests would he useless. whereupon Great
Britain Judged II cNpedent to refer tn"
matter to the United states. The Amcr-
can Government has consent-d TO refer
the communications to the Governments or
Ecuador and Colombia, hut nothing Is
known here as To the result of this step
The Anglo-French note TO the United
States did not contain any reference to
the cruisers Good Hope and Monmouth
The Earl of Ronadshay asked II the
Government was informed IN August re-
garding the probability that Colombia
would become a source of German intel
ligence and what steps had been taken
to anticipate such an event. Mr.. Rob
erts replied that the Government had no
reason to apprehend that Colombia ever
contemplated a breach Of neutrality,