Year: 1875

TROUBLE APPREHENDED.


AsPNwALI, August 81, 1875


The situation OF affairs i Colombia is by means
encouraging The revoutionsts continue to collect re-
Inducements Barranquilla under General santo Do
mugo de Villa and President Baena, Of Bolivar From
despatch received at Panama from Bogota it would
appear that tho general government has ordered tho
number of troops to be increased 00O and that
General Delgado has been reinforced in the Magdaena
1t pretty clear that everything depends on tho
tact With which the general government may act, as
any effort at compulson might tend 10 drive other
States into rebellion. serious struggle nevertheless
anticipated although peace commissioners have been
appointed by the President of Cauca and have under
taken TO reconcile the difficulties between the govern
ment and the States which at present appear
anccs Of hostility.


THE LANDING ARMS.


The Pacific Mail steamer Colon, which arrived hero
tho 2Sd inst from New York conveyed 500 rifles
and ammunition to tins port which said to be con
signed to Amapaa the coast Of Central America In
formation forwarded to Captsin Simpson, OF the
Omaha and commander of the force of the South
Pacific station that these destined be used
by the States OF Bolivar and Magdalena at war
against tho federal government, which is recog
uized by the United States of America Captain snp-
son, upon receipt OF what seemed to him


AUTHENTIC INFORMATION,
promptly tclegraphed TO Mr. j. Thorington, United
States Consul at Aspnwa TO the effect that the decree
OF the President declared that Panama in rebellion
against the Union and that there Of arms on
board the Colon invoiced to some port in Central
America He also set forth that parties we're in Aspn
wall with the bills of lading, trying TO divert the prop
erty from its original destination and to deliver It to
people the Isthmus Believing that the arms were
destined


FOR THE USE OF lxsuRGESrs
Captain Simpson asked the Consul whether 1t would
be proper act for him TO that they were not
allowed TO be diverted from their original destination
or being poweress in that matter prevent them from
being landed subject to instructions from Washington
Mr. Thorington the receipt of Captain Simpsons
telegram at once proceeded TO Panama and after
sutng with the naval commandant held an interview
with President Miro the purpOrt of which reduced
TO writing. Mr. rhoringtOn inquired whether it was
the intention Of the government of Panama TO obtain
possession OF the arms any other than legal
ner or accordance with the known laws and customs
OF trade and commerce IN Colombian waters If 30 he
should regard 1t as


A BELIGERESr ACT


and would take such steps would prevent their being
taken possession or or if taken, TO retake and hold
them subject to the orders OF the United States gov
ernment To this the President replied that the arms
in question belonged to tho State government, pur
chased from firm in Panama and not In violation OF
any international treaty. He also stated that the
To be used in


DEFENCE or THE SOVEREIGNTY STATE,
of its legitimate government and the federal constitu
ton ratified the Sth of May, 1858, and which was
the national constitution in force He added that with
the State troops he would afford nteroceanc transit
the necessary security which the nation had guaranteed
This OF course settled the question as TO the seizure OF
the 1t was evident that they could not be kept
out Of the hands Of the government OF Panama without
arbitrary on the part of Captain Simpson. Sub
sequeny hr. Thorngton addressed conmunicationto to
Colonel W. p Tisdcl General Superintendent of the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company stating that he had
arrived at the conclusion not TO disturb the status of
the and munitions of conveyed by the
steamer Colon, mainly the ground that he had not
been


LEGALLY OR OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED
that the question to be used by insurgents
ann he Thor
ington contended that the should be treated
ordinary merchandise How long this state of affairs
will last il is difficult to conjecture. Captain Simpson,
in view OF the present crisis, has teegraphed TO the
Navy Department for instructions Consul Thoringon,
who left for New York on the steamer Colon will pro
ceed Washington in order to present the case in all
details II may be well to add that the necessity of
having a vessel of the North Atlantic squadron con-
santly anchor at Aspnwa is very apparent Matters
are IN muddled condition. and the issue may be much
serious than is at present anticipated. As the
State government of Panama had not committed any
act both Captain Simpson and Consul Thorngton,
reluctant to interfere and besides, any violent
ton might have seriously affected the position of the
foreign residents OF Panama