Mr. Powell to Mr. Hay.
Port au Prince, August 1, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that the present situation is slightly improved since my last dispatch was written.
Three members of the present cabinet have resigned, they being friends of Mr. Firmin. Two of them have joined him; the third is in hiding. These men’s places have not been filled, and I am informed will not be, so that several of the departments are without an executive officer.
The Provisional President, General Canal, has informed the public that civil war has commenced through the action of Mr. Firmin and of his friends. Gen. Jean Jumeau, the governor of the Artibonite, and said to be one of the ablest of the Haitian generals, has taken up arms in, behalf of Mr. Firmin, and left Gonaives with an army of 2,000 men and several small field guns, for the purpose of attacking this city. At the time of General Jumeau’s departure with his troops General Salnave [Page 617] left for the Cape with 3,000 men. It was rumored, as an inducement to the men in the two armies, that in the event of the capture of either place, the followers of Mr. Firmin would have the full privilege to pillage and destroy. Many fearing that the provisional authorities would be unable to defend these two cities, have for a week been moving their effects to places of safety; those in business have deposited in the several legations inventories of their stock, in case the city should be destroyed by fire. For several days during the past two weeks almost a reign of terror prevailed, as if some great calamity was pending over the place. All business was paralyzed. In fact, since these troubles have commenced but little is doing in commercial lines. The cost of provisions has doubled in price on account of the fear of the country people in coming to town.
Mr. Fouchard called at the legation to know what steps the diplomatic corps would take to prevent General Jumeau carrying into execution his plans to destroy the city. We informed him that the diplomatic corps could not take any steps in that direction; that this Government must itself prepare to defend the capital; that my Government, if it deemed it necessary to send a vessel here, could not engage itself to prevent a destruction of property. All that could be done would be to protect the lives of the foreign residents that might be endangered. I could assure him that the diplomatic corps would do all in their power to prevent Vice-Admiral Killick from carrying into execution his threat to bombard the city. That Mr. Desprez, the French minister, would keep the D’Assas here for that purpose until she was relieved by some other naval vessel. The President, General Canal, called later to make a similar request, but not being in at the time I did not see him.
Vice-Admiral Killick has been very active during the past week in conveying the troops, arms, and ammunition from Gonaives to Arcahaie, a place about 15 miles distant from the city. Owing to the close proximity of General Jumeau’s army, the Government on the night of July 26 sent a body of troops numbering 500 men to prevent a further advance of this army. The next morning (July 27) at 6 a.m. the alarm gun was fired calling the citizens to arms and warning the inhabitants of the near approach of General Jumeau’s troops. The assembly was sounded and within an hour thereafter 300 volunteers were sent to reinforce those sent out the night previous. Later in the morning Gen. San Fort Colin, general of the arrondissement and secretary of the interior, with three regiments of the national troops, left for the same destination. General Jumeau’s troops were met at a place called Duvivier, about 8 miles from the city, where a slight engagement took place (called here a battle), in which about 50 were killed and 100 wounded. The loss on the side of General Jumeau remains unknown. To the surprise of all, at 4.30 p.m. the same day, all the Government’s troops returned. It was reported that General Jumeau’s troops had retreated, and the cause of their return was that this general had changed his base of operation and would seek to enter the city from the south instead of from the north. Another rumor was that during the absence of the national troops the partisans of one of the two candidates here would seek to secure the capital and depose the Provisional Government, hence the return of the troops. No attempt has since been made to follow up the victory that is claimed was won in the defeat of General Jumeau’s army. Disturbances have [Page 618] broken out at several other places, and troops have been dispatched from here to quell them.
Vice Admiral Killick has seized many of the small Haitian coasting vessels freighted with fruits and vegetables for this market, one of which was a vessel flying the American flag. Killick forwarded a letter to the legation giving nis reasons for taking this vessel. His letter has remained unanswered. The person in charge of the vessel was an American. I understand he proposes to forward to the Department a claim for this action of Killick’s. No attempt has been made by him to come into the inner harbor on account of the presence of the D’Assas, which guards the entrance, but if this vessel had not been there Killick would no doubt have bombarded and destroyed the city. At present he is acting as a tender to the army, moving it from place to place or from one side of Gonaives Bay to the other to secure for it the best position of offense and defense.
News has reached the Government to-day of the defeat of the army under General Salnave, who was marching on Cape Haiti, by the troops under Gen. Nord Alexis. This may possibly cause Killick and the remainder of General Jumeau’s force to return to Gonaives, as that place will be in danger from an attack from the troops of General Alexis.
Killick received 200 tons of coal a few weeks ago. This supply will last him but a little while longer, and unless he receives a fresh supply his vessel will be useless. He has stated that before he will surrender this vessel to the Government he will blow her up.
We still stand in great danger from fire, as the fire department is completely demoralized. The French minister, Mr. Desprez, has had one of the fire engines from the D’Assas moved to his legation, and with it forty of the crew from that vessel to have charge of it in case of fire, but on account of the limited supply of water available it will be useless.
Street firing at night continues, much to every one’s discomfort, as no one feels safe from stray bullets. Since the 12th of May more than 900,000 rounds of ammunition have been uselessly wasted. Fortunately but few persons have been injured therefrom. The Government has effected another loan of $350,000, making $720,000 in loans received since the Provisional Government assumed control of affairs. As a guaranty of payment it has pledged the receipts from customs, that are largely pledged already. Exchange has fallen from 160 to 150 per cent.
A quorum of the members elect has reached the capital. The new Chambers organized yesterday. Their attention has been entirely engaged with contested election cases, of which there are 16 claimants for 8 seats. The only indication as to the political strength of the several candidates for the Presidency is to be found in the seating of the contestants when two claim to represent the election district. Thus far those who favor Mr. Pierre seem to be in the majority, as those who have secured a favorable report from the committee are those who are pledged to him. Mr. Firmin has but 23 of the 95 members. This much is known, but how the other 72 stand no one knows, not even the candidates themselves. Mr. Firmin can only win by force of arms, so he may be considered, as far as the Chambers are concerned, not in the present contest. What he will do in the future remains to be seen. The presidential contest is thus narrowed to the two candidates, Mr. [Page 619] Pierre and Mr. Fouchard. From present appearances Mr. Pierre appears to have the greater number of members elect, but this, as I have stated in former dispatches, does not take Mr. Fouchard out of the fight. He has spent over $100,000 thus far and is prepared to spend more. The greatest interest is now centered around these two men. The real danger at the present time is that the partisans of these will clash. It is currently rumored that in case Mr. Fouchard has not enough delegates to favor his election the members of his party will withdraw, leaving both Chambers without a legal quorum. In that case there will be no election of a President, and possibly it may be postponed indefinitely.
After the election contests have been settled, the Chambers will proceed to elect the 34 members that will constitute the new Senate. This may take all of next week. If so, they will not proceed to the election of a President before the second week in August, and at that time we may look for a repetition of the affair of the 12th of May.
Since I have commenced this dispatch I have received a communication from the Provisional President, General Canal, that he has assumed the duties of the secretary of foreign relations in connection with his present functions.
I have, etc.,