The Sentinel=record., 1915-01-16
UNITED STATES WILL PROTEST
THE CONFISCATloN OF FOR
ElGN OIL INTERESTS.
THREATEN TAMPICO FIELD
Prohibition Of Export Of Oil Which
Supplies British Vessels Brings
Protest to United States From
Great Britain.

w aShlugtOn, Jan. 1i.-The United
States government has sent a warn.
ing to General Carranza. pointing out
that serious consequences may fol-
low" his threatened confiscation of
foreign-owned oil plants in Tampico
This announcement was made by
Secretary Bryan after the latter had
conferred with Sir Cecil Spring Rice,
the British ambassador. and repre-
sentatiyes Of Americal oil concerns
Already the Carranza officials vir.
tually have enforced an embargo on
the expectation of oil by a big Eng.
lish company The British ambassa-
dor, at the suggestion of Mr. Bryan.
sent an urgent telegram to the Brit.
ish consul at Vera Ctuz, which he
was Instructed to show to General
Carranza.
AS the British fleet obtains much
of its fuel from the Tampico oil
fields, the possibility of serious com
plications over the Carranza govern.
ments attitude is realized fully by
the American government.
MIR Bryan said today that the for
eign owned oil companies fear con
fiscatiOn Of their wells" by Carranza,
and that the urgent representations
had been made to forestall such ac-
ton
A decree issued by the Carranza
government makes it IMPOSSIBLE for
some of the foreign oil companies TO
operate without the consent of the
Mexican authorities and some Of the
American concerns, il is said. have
been forced to pay so heavily that
they virtually have been compelled to
shut down their plants. Although
there are dutch interests at Tampico,
no representations have as yet been
made by The Netherlands govern.
ment.
The prospects of a battle on the
outskirts of Tampico between the adj
vancing forces of General Villa and
the columns of Carraaza under Gen.
eral Pablo Gonzales is expected here
to develop the situation further. If
the Villa forces are victorious a so
luton of the problem is confidently
expected because Of previous assur.
ances given by the VilaGutierrez Of
ficials in that district
The following summary of the sit.
uation in Tampico in a telegram from
that port dated late yesterday was
made public by the state department:
"The line between Monterey and
Tampico mas been cut and American
colonists in isolated districts are
sending women to Tampico. which
place is still anticipating an attack
The food supply is said to be short. A
large number of Americans have been
thrown out of work on account OF the
closing down of the petroleum com
panies. On account of the recent pc
troleum decree and lack of conf
dence in constitutlonalist money
business is said to be demoralized. 1t
is said that in the Tampico consular
district there are at least 1.20O
Americans"
The closing down of the oil plants
at Tampico it has been pointed out
by officials, not only will affect the
supply Of fuel to foreign countries but
to Texas, where much of the product
is shipped for railroad use.
Dispatches from Monterey to the
state departmen1 dated yesterday say
some Of the Carranza troops have
now returned 20 Monterey the Villa
troops having failed to enter the city
when the bulk of uhe Carranza force
withdrew a few days ago A tele-
gram from Eagle Pass to the depart
ment said authentic reports had been
received there from Las Vacas to the
effect that part of the garrison
there had attempted to revolt in
favor OF Villa, but was subdued and
then executed
Between Piedras Negras and Mon
clovio. a state department announce,
ment said tonight nothing but mill
tary trains are operating, On jan
uary IA the department announced
that the railroad shops had been
closed down and that all employees
were laid off with months pay. A
later message has been received say
ing the former should have read
railroad shops closed laying off all
employees with two months pay due
them"
Mexico City, Jan. 49, via El Paso.
Jan l5-The national convention last
night reappointed Eulalio Gutierrez