Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1912
File No. 822.00/280.]
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
Quito,
Washington, March 22, 1912.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith a report, with enclosures, from Captain Constant Cordier, U. S. A., Military Attaché of this Legation. * * *
The Military Attaché of the American Legation to the American Minister.
Santa Elena, Ecuador, February 11, 1192.
Sir: In compliance with your letter of instructions dated January 19, 1912,1 and in accordance with the cablegram from the Honorable the Secretary of State, dated January 17, 5 p.m., I departed from Quito on January 20th, taking the first south bound train for Guayaquil. [Here an account of several vexatious delays.] The train reached the Durán terminus at 9:40 p.m. [the 22d]. I had made arrangements by wire to use the railway tug, and was about to embark when General Plaza, then at Durán with some 2,000 Government troops, sent word that he desired to see me. I called at his quarters and met him and General Julio Andrade, his chief of staff. They were both most effusive in their greetings. After a few pleasantries General Plaza said that he hoped to have a talk with me on the following day. I then took the tug to the U. S. S. Yorktown, which was anchored in the Guayas river a little above the railway company’s Guayaquil dock, going aboard at 10:30 p.m.
Lieutenant Edison Ernest Scranton, U. S. Navy, temporarily in command of the Yorktown, informed me of the state of affairs in Guayaquil and of the part taken by the ship in the local disturbances. Also of the attitude of the railway officials, of the wish expressed by the president of the railroad, Mr. E. H. Norton, for a landing party to protect property, and of the participation of our Consul General in the peace negotiations, then being carried on. We went over the entire situation and I explained to him your views and the [Page 407] action recommended, at the same time delivering your letter addressed to the “Commander United States Naval Forces in Ecuadorian Waters”, copy of which is attached hereto, marked “B”.1 I found Lieutenant Scranton to be thoroughly familiar with and alive to the situation, and he cheerfully expressed a desire to carry out your wishes and instructions, and to confer and cooperate with me in all matters affecting the late political crisis. Lieutenant Scranton deserves a great deal of credit for the manner in which he comprehendingly met every emergency.
The part taken by the Yorktown between January 7 and 27, 1912, in the late revolution is shown in the letter of Lieutenant E. E. Scranton, U. S. Navy, hereto attached and marked “C”,2 and also in the reports of operations of Commander Bertolette and Lieutenant Scranton, copies of which are marked “D”1 and “E.”1 * * *
On January 19 General Plaza sent a demand to General Montero to surrender. Identic notes were addressed to the Dean of the Consular Corps at Guayaquil and to General Montero, and were brought on board the Yorktown at about 7:00 p.m. by an aide-de-camp of General Plaza, together with a note from the latter to the Commander of the Yorktown requesting him to forward the demand for surrender. The letters were sent ashore that night to the American Consul General, who transmitted them to the respective addresses.
On the same day, at about 2:30 in the afternoon, a Peace Commission consisting of the American Consul General, the British Consul, and five citizens of Guayaquil, had gone to Durán with the object of continuing on to Yaguachi for a conference with General Plaza, but was obliged to return to Guayaquil at 4:30 p.m. without accomplishing anything. * * *
Upon the request of the American Consul General the Yorktown’s launch was placed at the service of the self-appointed commission consisting of the American Consul General, the British Consul and other members, who made a trip from Guayaquil to Durán for the purpose of conferring with General Plaza, on January 20.
The terms proposed by General Plaza, practically an unconditional surrender, had been revised and amended by General Montero. These peace terms were changed by General Plaza, and the commission then returned with the papers to Guayaquil.
On January 21 the peace commission made a second trip to Durán in the Yorktown’s launch, with peace overtures from General Montero. General Plaza made further changes in these proposals and handed the papers to the commission, which returned to Guayaquil. * * *
General Montero’s local government was being weakened daily by the retirement of his more prominent political supporters. On January 18 three of his five cabinet ministers resigned their portfolios, and within two days following several of his military commanders resigned, including General Flavio Alfaro, as Commanding General. General Eloy Alfaro was then appointed (January 19) Director of War, which practically gave him command of the rebel army.
Realizing that the de jure Government was ultimately bound to triumph, and fully appreciating the necessity for our non-interference in the political disturbances of Ecuador at this moment, I requested Lieutenant Scranton not to land any armed men nor other party, either on the Durán side of the river or at Guayaquil, and informed him that I would assume all responsibility, as your aide and the Department’s representative, for any failure to protect American interests or the Consulate, which could be clearly seen from the Yorktown; intending, in accordance with your instructions, if the necessity arose, to land with an officer and a few unarmed men and to request our Consul General to come on board the Yorktown with his office records should the bombardment or the setting on fire of the city be imminent. Provisions were also made for receiving on board the American residents, for the protection of life. Lieutenant Scranton most willingly made arrangements for carrying out these requests. * * *
The peace terms that had been attested by General Montero were signed by General Plaza and handed back to the peace commission, which returned to Guayaquil about mid-day [January 22]. According to agreement, the peace commission was to have met General Montero at about 2:00 o’clock that afternoon for the purpose of informing him that the peace terms had been [Page 408] signed by General Plaza. A copy of the peace terms bearing the signature of the two generals was also to have been handed to General Montero. The latter, however, did not appear, but sought a hiding place where he thought he would be safe from any possible mob violence which might follow his surrender.
General Flavio E. Alfaro, who has been serving as generalissimo of the revolutionary forces in Guayaquil, learning of the disappearance of General Montero, gave the order to his troops to carry out the provisions of the peace terms. While the revolutionary soldiers were in the act of giving up their arms heavy firing commenced in the streets of Guayaquil. * * * Several shots passed over the Yorktown, which lay about 500 yards away, and through the isolation ward on board, one bullet-hole being found in the awning stretched over the poop-deck. * * * The firing then became desultory. * * * No foreigner was injured as far as can be ascertained.
A great crowd of about 5,000 people, with many flags and banners, then [January 23] surged through the streets, breaking up into smaller groups. Speeches were made, flags waved and cheers given for the Government and General Plaza.
An officer was sent ashore by Lieutenant Scranton to investigate conditions, and found nothing to warrant any action on the part of the ship.
At about 4.45 p.m. the Government forces began to arrive from Durán on small steamers and other river craft. * * * Generals Plaza and Andrade were on one of the first steamers that reached the Guayaquil side. Here they were met by large crowds of civilians, some with arms and some without, carrying flags and shouting for the Constitutional Government. A great parade was formed and the triumphal march through the streets commenced. * * *
Lieutenant Scranton and I then called upon General Plaza, who was in command of Guayaquil. The General met us as we entered the Governor’s palace and ushered us into the large room used by him as headquarters. I expressed the Legation’s good wishes and congratulated the General upon the restoration of peace. I asked him if he would be prepared fully to protect American interests in event of further disturbances. He assured both Lieutenant Scranton and myself that he was in a position to guarantee ample protection to all foreign interests, and that he would take every measure possible to protect American life and property in case of trouble, which he assured us was not likely to occur. I requested the General to see that American life and property was not menaced; to prevent any anti-American demonstration, if practicable, and to guard the Consulate, if necessary, against annoyances or attacks of any kind; which he said he would do with pleasure, adding that there should be no fear of any trouble for Americans. * * * He said that he was very much pleased to learn that no armed landing party had been sent ashore during the stay of the Yorktown, as the landing of armed men had not been necessary and might have caused some ill feeling on the part of the people.
General Plaza was informed that the Yorktown would be only too glad to salute the port and country, inasmuch as the constituted Government had regained control of Guayaquil; but owing to the illness of Commander Bertolette, then on board, it was thought advisable to postpone the firing of the salute for a few days. General Plaza readily assented to this and said that he sincerely hoped that the Commander would speedily recover. He spoke highly of the officers and men and of what he regarded as the perfectly proper noninterference on the part of the Yorktown, whose action had been entirely within the bounds of international propriety. * * *
The coming of the Yorktown and the presence of our warships in Ecuadorian waters have had the desired moral effect, have minimized the damage to the railroad property, increased the respect for the established rights of foreigners and, possibly, prevented high-handed treatment and abuse of American residents in Ecuador. * * *
The first death from yellow fever among the crew of the Yorktown occurred at 9.30 a.m. January 23, when seaman C. W. Wood died in the ward improvised by Doctor Parker in his office at the Consulate.
Commander Bertolette, whose condition became worse on January 23, died on board the Yorktown at 2.14 a.m. the following day, from yellow fever. His death, which was deeply regretted, threw a pall over every one on the ship. It was deplorable that an officer and an enlisted man had to succumb to such a dreadful disease for, apparently, no other reason than the questionable necessity of protecting a little property. Both were sacrificed in the strict line of duty.
[Page 409]* * * There were in all eight yellow fever patients, two deaths, and a number of suspected cases between January 17 and 26. Few really expected to escape, and a sigh of relief went up when orders were received, on January 25, for the Yorktown to proceed to Santa Elena Bay. * * *
Everything is now quiet along the coast, and I hardly look for political disturbances of any consequence. * * *
The collier Prometheus arrived at Santa Elena on January 30, and the armored cruiser Maryland on February 1, 1912.
I have transferred to the U. S. S. Maryland, the ship of the senior officer present, and will continue to carry out your instructions.
Very respectfully,
The American Minister to the Military Attaché of the Legation.
Quito, January 19, 1912.
My Dear Captain: In accordance with telegraphic instructions from the Honorable the Secretary of State, extract of which is inserted herein, you will proceed, as soon as possible, to Guayaquil, Ecuador, where, upon arrival, you will embark on board the U. S. S. Yorktown, and carry out the following:
Extract from cablegram from the Department of State, of January 17, 1912—
Commander Bertolette has yellow fever. At the suggestion of Navy Department, War Department having already concurred, you will instruct Captain Cordier to proceed at once to Guayaquil to confer and cooperate with C. O. Yorktown.
Knox.
In addition to the foregoing you are requested to carry out my verbal instructions of this date, which fully empower you to represent this Legation in all matters while on this mission.
Should other U. S. Government vessels enter Ecuadorian waters you may transfer aboard, if in your judgment it is deemed advisable or necessary; meanwhile I would suggest your remaining on board the Yorktown.
Wishing you every success on your important and trying mission, I remain,
Very cordially, yours,
The American Minister to the Commander of the United States Naval Forces in Ecuadorian waters.
Quito, January 19, 1912.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that Captain Constant Cordier, U. S. Army, Military Attaché to this Legation, has been ordered to Guayaquil on instructions from the Honorable the Secretary of State.
Captain Cordier is fully empowered to represent this Legation in all matters; and, as my aide, to represent me officially and personally. You are, therefore, requested to give full credence to any representation made by Captain Cordier, and to aid and assist him in every way possible, as the representative of this Legation.
I have [etc.]