Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 9, 1891
Mr. Pacheco to Mr. Blaine.
Guatemala, August 19, 1891. (Received September 3.)
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith the report of Capt. F. P. White, of the Pacific Mail steamship City of Panama, giving full account of what transpired during the recent occurrences at La Union and La Libertad, in Salvador.
[Page 71]The wires connecting the two Republics have been down for over 10 days, and I have not been able to obtain any response to my telegram of the 12th instant.
The Pacific Mail Company’s manager for Central America, who makes his headquarters at this capital, is likewise unable to get further particulars from his agents in San Salvador.
I will promptly report any information that comes to us.
I have, etc.,
Capt. White to Capt. Dow.
La Libertad, Salvador, August 8, 1891.
Sir: Herewith I beg to advise you as follows: We received on board at Corinto as passengers for San José the following-named persons: Gen. L. Letona, Don M. Rivas, Dr. Don R. Ayala, Gen. L. Hernandez, and Mr. P. J. Brannon.
At 5:20 p.m. the 6th instant I arrived at La Union, and the ship was visited by the usual officials, who, after receiving the customary documents, demanded to see the list of passengers on board who were in transit and destined for San José. This request was complied with, and the officials went on shore.
At 10:30 p.m. the ship was visited by the commandant and four officials, who stated that we had on board five political refugees from Salvador, mentioning the above-named persons, and said that he had orders from the Salvador Government not to allow these people to land, and requested me to prevent them doing so.
I assured the commandant that I would do everything in my power to comply with his request, and he went on shore apparently satisfied.
At 2 p.m. the 7th instant the ship was again visited by the commandant and four officials. He then stated that he could not dispatch the ship before 5:30 p.m., as he was awaiting instructions from Salvador. At 5 p.m. the same day he again visited the ship, accompanied by six officials and a launch containing one officer and 12 men, all heavily armed, and said he had an order from the Salvador Government to arrest Gen. Letona as a political criminal, and made formal demand of me that I surrender him into his custody. This I positively refused to do, saying that Gen. Letona was a passenger who had embarked from Corinto for San José, and that I knew nothing of his being a political offender. After making the demand again, and which I again refused to comply with, he went on shore with the officials who accompanied him, but left the launch, containing 13 men, on guard close by the ship. Before leaving he positively stated that he would not dispatch the ship unless I gave Gen. Letona into his charge.
At 5:45 p.m., having been in the port of La Union over twenty-four hours, and the work of loading and unloading the cargo being completed, I blew three whistles to signify that I wished to be dispatched, and at 8:10 p.m., no attention having been paid to my signal, I left for La Libertad without my dispatch.
At 8:25 a.m. on the 8th instant I anchored off La Libertad and was at once visited by the commandant, who stated that, as I had not been properly dispatched from La Union, he could not receive the ship until he had communicated with the Government. At 12 noon, same, day, the ship was again visited by the commandant, accompanied by the company’s agent, who brought the following communication from the minister of war:
[Telegram dated San Salvador, August 8, 1891.]
“To the Commander of the Port:
“By an official letter you will notify Messrs. Blanco & Trigueros, agents of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company in this port, that the captain of the port will not receive the steamship City of Panama’s cargo nor passengers, and will only receive her mail; this due to the contract existing between the Supreme Government and the company referred to and as a special favor granted her. The above-mentioned steamer will remain uncommunicated with regarding the embarking or disembarking of passengers or cargo.
“Yours,
“V. Amya.”
To this communication I sent the following reply in explanation why I had left La Union without my dispatch:
“Steamship City of Panama,
Voy. 55,
“La Libertad, August 8,
1891.
“To Messrs. Blanco &
Trigueros,
“Agents Pacific Mail
Sieamship Company:
“Sirs: Please communicate the following to the commandant in reply to his communication of to-day:
“I arrived at La Union on the 7th instant, at 5:20 p.m., and during my lay there the ship was visited by the commandant, accompanied by six officials and the launch containing one officer and twelve men, who demanded the surrender of Gen. Letona, a passenger from Corinto to San José, saying he was a political criminal, and that the Salvador Government had ordered his arrest. This I positively refused to do. The commandant then left the ship, saying he would not dispatch me unless I gave General Letona into his charge. At 5:45 p.m. I blew three whistles to signify that I wished to be dispatched, and at 8:10 p.m., having been in the port of La Union twenty-six hours and fifty minutes, I left for La Libertad without my clearance.
“I am, etc.,
“Fred. P. White,
“Commander.”
At 1:30 p.m. I received the herewith attached copy of a letter from the company’s agent, which explains itself, and the work of discharging the cargo commenced at once.
At 4:30 p.m. the launches stopped work for the day, and the following day, August the 9th, at 6 a.m., the work was again resumed, and at 10 a.m. the cargo was all discharged and one launch load of cargo for Oco’s received. At 10:30 a.m. the 9th instant the ship was visited by the company’s agent and his clerk, who brought the following communication from the commandant:
“La Libertad, August 9, 1891.
“Messrs. Blanco &
Trigueros,
“Agents Pacific Mail
Steamship Company:
Sirs: I have the honor to inform you that, by sentence dictated yesterday by the captain of the port of La Union, the steamship City of Panama has been confiscated on account of having left La Union without the necessary license which is prescribed in article 253 of the laws of navigation and marine. I communicate this to you by order of the minister of this branch of the marine department, so that you may notify Capt. White.
“Yours, etc.,
“Carbello,
“Commandant.”
To this communication, and by request of the agents, I sent the following reply:
“Steamship City of Panama,
Voy. 55,
“La Libertad, August 9,
1891.
“To Messrs. Blanco &
Trigueros,
“Agents Pacific Mail
Steamship Company:
Sirs: Herewith I beg to inform you that the communication from the commandant of this port has been received and contents duly noted.
“I am, etc.,
“F. P. White,
“Commander.”
I also wrote the agents, saying I would like to be dispatched as soon as possible, the cargo being all discharged, and to send me word as soon as convenient whether the authorities would dispatch me or not. At 12 noon the agent came on board, again bringing the herewith attached copy of a letter which explains itself, being a letter to the authorities asking for my dispatch and their reply; I was also informed by our agents that Gen. Ezeta had left Santa Ana, where he had been stationed, for Acajutla, and that he would probably make a determined attempt to arrest Gen. Letona and four other political refugees with an armed force.
I thereupon decided to communicate the situation to yourself and await instructions from Panama, for I have every reason to believe that the safety of the ship and passengers would be involved in my going into the port of Acajutla with the before-mentioned persons on board, and judging from the situation at the present time.
[Page 73]Herewith I hand you a copy of the cable message sent this day at 2 p.m:
“Typac, Panama:
“Authorities refuse clear ship here, saying ship confiscated; orders Government. Gen. Letona, passenger Corinto to San José; commandant La Union, armed force, demanded surrender, saying political criminal; refused dispatch unless request complied with; request refused. After twenty-seven hours in port, sailed without dispatch. Agents here advise going San José direct, land passengers, apprehending serious difficulty; Ezeta at Acajutla, armed force, determined to arrest five political refugees aboard. I await advice.
“white.”
As I was handing this message to the agent the commandant sent his representative on board to inform me verbally that the minister of war had given orders for the commandant to come on board and take charge of the ship, and that I was to place myself under his orders.
I politely informed the representative of the commandant that I recognized no one’s authority regarding the direction of the City of Panama, and if his remaining on board was to be evidence of the surrender of my command to him, he would oblige me by going on shore at once, which he did.
At 12 midnight I was again visited by the representative of the commandant, who brought me the herewith attached copy of a letter and telegram from the United States consular agent which explains itself, and to which I replied as follows:
“La Libertad,
Salvador,
August 9,
1890.
“To E. Courtade, United States Consular Agent:
“Sir: Your letter, containing a telegram, has just come to hand at 12 o’clock, midnight, and contents noted. I particularly request that any cable messages or telegrams that may come addressed to me will be delivered promptly.
Yours, respectfully,
“Fred. P. White,
“Captain.”
At 8 o’clock a.m. the 10th instant the ship was again visited by our agent, accompanied by his clerk, who brought your cable, a copy of which and translation is herewith attached to this letter, having been restrained from doing so by the authorities on shore at 6 p.m. the day previous, at which time it was received by themselves.
After receiving this cable I made preparations for going to San José direct, and before doing sol sent the following letter to Mr. E. Courtade, the United States consular agent, which read as follows:
“La Libertad, August 10, 1891.
“To E. Courtade., United States Consular Agent:
“Sir: I am in receipt of my orders from our general agent at Panama, and you will kindly inform Mr. J. J. Love, in San Salvador, that any further communication from him will be received through the American minister at Guatemala.
“I am yours, respectfully,
“Fred. P. White,
“Commander.”
At 8:25 a.m. I left La Libertad for San José direct, in accordance with your instructions.
I arrived at San José de Guatemala at 5:30 p.m. the 10th instant, and was at once received by the authorities.
Yours, respectfully,
Commander.
Copy of letter from agents received at 1:80 p.m.
Mr. F. P. White,
Commander of the Steamship City of Panama:
Dear Sir: We have the pleasure to inform you that we have just been notified that the Government has allowed the work of embarking and disembarking passengers and freight with the City of Panama, and that we therefore have ordered all our lighters to proceed to the work, so that it may be done in the shortest time possible.
We are, etc.,
Blanco & Trigueros to the commandant of La Libertad.
To the Commandant of this Port:
As the North American steamer City of Panama, Capt. White, from Panama, is prepared to continue her voyage to Acapulco, we request you to grant the permit required by law.
The commandant of La Libertad to Blanco Trigueros.
As the steamer City of Panama has been confiscated, it is hereby declared that there is no ground for the foregoing application.
Consular Agent Courtade to Capt. White.
La Libertad, Salvador, August 9, 1891.
To Capt. F. P. White,
Commanding Steamship City of Panama, off La
Libertad:
Dear Sir: I have just received a telegram from the United States consul at San Salvador, which reads as follows:
“San Salvador, 10:25 p.m.
“Please deliver at once the following to captain of the ship City of Panama:
“Captain of the Pacific Mail Ship City of Panama, at La Libertad:
“Permit no one to come aboard or leave your ship, and remain there until further orders from me or the Department.
“J. W. Love,
“Consul.”
I beg to transmit the same, and inclose the original telegram for your guidance.
Yours, truly,
Consular Agent.
Copy of cable from Panama.
Trigueros, Libertad:
Please communicate to Capt. White, steamship City of Panama: “Referring to your dispatch August 9, proceed to San José direct. Keep your passengers on board until you communicate with the minister of the United States.”