Mr. Adee to Mr.
Bowen.
Department of State,
Washington, October 3,
1902.
No. 82.]
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your two telegrams of the 24th
ultimo.
I inclose for your information copy of a letter from the Acting Secretary
of the Navy, forwarding the report made by the commanding officer of the
Marietta on the subject.
I am, etc.,
Alvey A. Adee, Acting Secretary.
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Taylor to
Mr. Hay.
Navy Department,
Washington, September 30,
1902.
Sir: I have the honor to inclose for your
information a copy of a letter from the commanding officer of the
Marietta, dated at La Guaira, Venezuela,
the 22d instant, relating to the use of the American flag by the
gunboat Restaurador.
Very respectfully,
H. C. Taylor, Acting Secretary.
[Subinclosure.]
Lieutenant-Commander Diehl to the Secretary of the
Navy.
U.
S. S. Marietta,
La
Guaira, September 22,
1902.
Sir: * * * The commanding officer of the
Venezuelan gunboat Restaurador called upon me
to-day and gave the following explanation, viz: That he did fly the
American flag at the fore on approaching Ciudad Bolivar; that his
reasons tor so doing were that he desired to send a message ashore
to the consular officials; that he could not use a white flag of
truce, because that flag is carried by the revolutionists; that his
object was to approach near enough to send a messenger without being
fired upon; that he did not know that he was committing any fault or
discourtesy toward the United States. He assured me that the
American flag was hauled down before a shot was fired either from
shore or from the ship.
I cautioned the commanding officer of the Restaurador that I could not approve of his using the
American flag in any except a purely legitimate way, and requested
that it be not repeated. He expressed his regrets and assured me
that it would not occur again.
I am inclined to believe that the American flag was hauled down
before any firing began, and recommend to the Department that this
incident be closed.
Very respectfully,
S. W. B. Diehl,
Lieutenant-Commander, U. S. Navy, Commanding
and Senior Officer Present.
