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I SPECIAL MESSAGE i . ? Transmitted to the Senate by President Roosevelt. ?lv ' * - - . f FACTS IN PANAMA AFFAIR Km " Sr5 & ' * . Concise Answer in Compliance With Hoar Resolution Calling for Information?United States Not a Party to Fomenting a RevcluV tion?Only Question is Whether or Not We Shal Build Canal. iss? ' I The principal features of the president's message, sent to the senate it i compliance with Senator Hoar's reso ! lution askins for a full statement of the Panama matter, are as follows: ? I lay before the congress for its in||r-. formation a statement of my action ; ?; > up to this time in executing the act j entitled "An act to provide for the ' construction of a canal connecting the j I waters of the Atlantic and Pacific j : oceans," approved June 28, 1902. By the said act the president was ; authorized to secure for the United j States the property of the Panama, - Canal Company and the perpetual con- j troi of a strip six miles wide across . - the Isthmus of Panama. It was furp ther provided that "should the president be unable to obtain for the Unifc ,ted States a satisfactory title to the propery of the republic of Colombia . . within a reasonable time and upon reasonable terms, then the presMant on/loarnr fro nrnviriA for A ilUVUV O^VUiU vuuvutv* vv W ? ? Canal by the Nicaragua route." This act marked the climax of the effort on the part of the United States to sechre, so far as legislation was concerned, an interoceanic canal across the isthmus. When this government submitted to Colombia the Hay-Herran treaty three things were, therefore, already settled. One was that the canal should be built The United States nad assumed in connection with the canal certain responsibilities not only to its jjfe own people, but to the civilized world, at which imperatively demanded that .* there should no longer be delay in H? beginning the work. Second. While it was settled that tfci- the canal should be built without un||t necessary or improper delay, it was s? no less clearly shown to be our pur; pose to deal not merely in a spirit of j justice, but in ' a spirit of gen, erosity with the people through . whose land we might build it. The Hay-Herran treaty, if it erred at all, erred in the direction of an over-generosity toward the Colombian govern ment In our anxiety to be fair we had gone to the very verge in yielding ^ to a weak nation's demands what that ?v\ nation was helplessly unable to enwfc. frvroo f mm ne Qcrflinct- nnr will Tt is I |cr plain that no nation could construct pf"A and guarantee the neutrality of the canal with a less degree of control . than was stipulated for in the Havll^' Herran treaty. A refusal to grant ||?; such degree of control was necessarily ll; a refusal to m^ke any practicable trea^p>-' ty at all. Such refusal therefore gpi* squarely raised the question whether gp;^ Colombia was entitled to bar the tranvi sit of the world's traffic across the |L:." isthmus. That the canal itself was eagerly I?; demanded by .the people of the locality' ity through which it was to pass, and p; that the people of this locality no ET less eagerly longed for construction under American control, are shovvn - by the unanimity of action in the neA* |p Panama republic. Furthermore, CoJ|t lotobia, after having rejected the treafpfe ty, in spite of our protests and warnU ings when it was in her power to ac^. v cept it, has since shown the utmost eagerness to accept the same treaty, if only the status quo could be reP.' stored. !>. Third. Finally the congress aefin- J ?itely settled where the canal was to : be built. It was provided that a trea- j ty should be made for building the J canal across the Isthmus of Panama; j and if, after reasonable time, it j proved impossible tjo secuxe such ; treaty, that then we should go to Nicam ragua. The treaty has been made; I* for it needs no argument to show | that the intent of the congress was to insure a canal across Panama, and . that whether the republic granting the title was called New Granada, Colom|g?\ bia, or Panama, mattered not one whit. As events turned out, the ques" . tion of "reasonable time'"' did not enter into the matter at all. I The pres'ideny quotes from The v Washington Post, The New York Herald and other papers, showing that feeling of secession was abroad and * strong in Panama during the latter part of August and early in Septernfp; ber. * ; On November 3 Commander Hubbard cabled that 400 Colombian troops from Cartegena had lanced at Colon; p- that there had been no revolution on ;V" ; the isthmus, but that the situation was most critical if the revolutionary leaders should act. On this same date the Associated Press in Washington1 received a bulletin stating that a revolutionary outbreak had occurred. When this was brought to the atten% tion of the assistant secretary of state, Mr. Loomis, he prepared the following cablegram to the consul general at . Panama and the consul at Colon: "Uprising on isthmus, reported. Keep department promptly and fully informed." The Colombian gunboat Bogota began to shell the city of Panama, with i the result of killing one Chinaman. The consul general was directed to no tify her to stop firing. Meanwhile, on November 4, Commander Hubbard no tified the department tfnat he had landed a force to protect the lives and property of American citizens' against } the threats of the Colombion soldiery, j Before any step whatever had been taken by the United States troops tc | j restore order, the commander of the I nevwj idaueu Colombian troops had in j dulged in wanton and violent threats I QcroincJ- American /MtizAns whioh rre v. ? ated serious apprehension. As Commander Hubbard reported in his letter of November 5, this officer and his j troops practically began war against ' the United States, and only the forI bearance and coolness of our officers prevented bloodshed. In his lette: of November 8 Com' mander Hubbard sets forth the facts I more in detail. This plain official account or the occurrences of November 4 shows that, instead of there having been too much provision by the American government for the maintenance of order and property on the isthmus, the order for the movement of the American war ships had been too long delayed; so long, in fact, that there were but forty-two marines and sailors available to land and protect the lives of American men and women. It was only the coolness and gallantry with which this little band of men wearing the American uniform faced ten times their number of armed foes, bent on carrying out the- atrocious threat of the Colombian commander, that prevented a murderous catastrophe. At Panama, when the revolution broke out, there was no American man-of-war and no American troops or sailors. At Colon, Commander Hubbard acted with entire impartiality toward both sides, preventing any movement, whether by the Colombians or the Panamans, which would tend to produce bloodshed. On November 9 he prevented a body of the revolutionists from landing at Colon. Throughout he behaved in the most creditable manner. In The New York Evening Post, under date of Panama, December 8, there is an article from a special cor- | respondent which sets forth in detail the unbearable oppression of the Colombian government in Panama. I call especial attention to the concluding portion of this interview which states the willingness of the Panama people to fight the Colombian troops and the refusal of Commander Hubbard to permit them to use the railroad and therefore to get into a position where the fight could take place. It thus clearly appears that the fact that there was no bloodshed on the isthmus was directly due?and only due?to the prompt and firm enforcement by the United S.-ites of its traditional policy. During the past forty years revolutions and attempts at revolution have succeeded one another with monotonous regularity on the isthmusi, 4nd again and again United States sailors and marines have been landed as they were landed in this instance and under similar instructions to protect tne transit. One ; of these revolutions resulted in three years of warfare; and the aggregate of bloodshed and misery caused by them has been incalculable. The fact that in this last revolution not a life was lost, save that of the man killed by the shells of the Colombion gunboat, and no property destroyed, was due to the action which I have described. We, in effect, policed the isthmus in the interest of its inhabitants and of our own national needs, and for the good of the entire civilized world. Failure to act as the administration acted would have j meant great waste of life, great suffering, great destruction of property, all of which was avoided by tne firmness and prudence with which Commander Hubbard carried out his orders and prevented either party frbm attacking the other. Our action was for the peace both of Colombia and of Panama. It is earnestly to be hoped that there will be no unwise conduct I on our part which may encourage Co- j lombia to embark on a war which can--' not result in her regaining control of j the isthmus, but which may cause j much bloodshed and suffering. Injurious Insinuations. I hesitate to refer to the injurious insinuations which nave been made of complicity by this government in the ! revolutionary movement in Panama. They are as destitute of foundation as of propriety. The only excuse for my mentioning them is the fear lest unthinking persons might mistake for acquiescence the silence of mere self, respect, I think proper to say, therefore, that no one connected with this ' government had any previous knowl edge or tne revoxuuon except sucu as was accessible to any person of ordinary intelligence wbo read the newspapers and kept up a current acj quaintance with public affairs. By the unanimous action of its people, without the firing of a shot? with a unanimity hardly before recorded in any similar case?the people of Panama declared themselves an independent republic. Their recognition by this government was based upon a state of facts in no way dependent for its justification upon our action in ordinary cases. I have not denied, nor do I wish to deny, either the validity or the propriety of the general rule that a new state should not be recognized as independent till it has shown its ability to maintain its in f - r. ' " . I dependence. Tnis rule s derived irdm the principle of non-intervention,,and ' as a corolary of that principle has generally been observed by the United States. But, liKe the principle from which it is deduced, the rule is subject to exceptions; and there are, in my opinion, clear and imperative reasons why a departure from it was justified and even required in the present instance. These reasons embrace, first, our treaty rights; second, our national interests and safety; and, third, the interests of collective civilization. Recognition Fully Justified. I confidently maintain that the rec ognition of the republic of Panama was an act justified by the interests of collective civilization. If ever a government could be said to have received a mandate from civilization to effect an object the accomplishment of which was demanded in the interest of mankind, the United States holds that position with regard to the interoceanic canal, faince our purpose to build the canal was definitely | announced, there have come from all quarters assurances of approval and encouragement, in which even Colombia herself at one time. Darticipaied: alia iu general assurances wcit <tuucu specific acts and declarations. In order that no obstacle might stand m our way, Great Britain renounced important rights under the Clayton-Bui wer treaty and ageed to its abroga tion, receiving in return nothing but cur honorable pledge to build the ca nal and protect it as an open highway. Other Nations Indorse 1c. That our position as the mandatory of civilization has been by no means misconceived is shown by the promptitude with which the powers have, one after another, followed cur lead In recognizing Panama as an independ ent state. Our action in recognizing the new republic has been followed by like recognition on the part of France Germany, Denmark, Russia, Sweden and Norway, Nicaragua, Peru, China Cuba, Great Britain, Italy, Costa Rica, Japan and Auustria-Hungary. Tiie people of tne lstnmus, ana as I firmly believe, of the adjacent parts of Central and South America, will be greatly benefited by the building ol the canal and the guarantee ot peace and order along its line; and hand in hand with the benefit to them will go the benefit to us and to mankind. By our prompt ad decisive action, not only have our interest? and those oi' the world at large been conserved, T)ui we have forestalled complications which were likely to be fruitful in loss .to ourselves and in bloodshed and suffering to the people of the isthmus. Meanwhile the only question now before u? is that oi the ratification pf the treaty. For it is to be remember ed that the failure to ratify the treaty will undo what, has been done, will not restore Panama to Colombia, and will not alter our obligation to keep the transit open across the isthmus and to prevent any outside power from menacing this transit In conclusion let me repeat that the question actually before thi3 govern ment is not that of the recognition oi Panama as an independent republic That is already a accomplished fact The question, and the only question is whether or not we shall build ?n isthmian canal. I transmit herewith copies <?f the latest note? from the minister of the republic of Panama to this govern ment, and of certain notes which have passed between the special envoy 01 the republic of Colombia and this gov ernment. , THEODORE ROOSEVELT. White House, January 4, 1904. Business Blocks Reduced to Ashes. Two business blocks in the center of Ansonia, Conn., were destroyed by fire Friday afternoon, involving a loss of $75,000. 1 WORLD'S FAIR TOPICS. Typical '40 mining camp in "Mining Gulcli." Main picture comprises ten great palaces, arranged fan shape. Denmark has officially accepted the invitation to participate .u the World's Fair. An imperial irade issued approves the participation of Turkey in the St. Louis Exposition. The dairy section of the World's Fair will occupy 30,000 square feci in the I Palace of Agriculture. | A locomotive testing laboratory I will be a feature of the transportation ! buiiding at the World's Fair. I ! Owing to insufficient time to comj plote preparations Spain will not par! tieipate in the St. Louis Exposition, i The Department of State has been . advised that Bolivia lias dually decided ! (o participate in the St. Louis Exposi! tion. I A feature of Wyoming's State exhibit j at the World's Fair will he a large eoJj lection of colored photographs of Wyj oming scenes. j Chekib Bey. the Turkish Minister at i Washington, has been appointed Coiu, missioner for Turkey at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. California day at t^e St..Louis Exposition will be September 9, the fiftyi fourth anniversary of the admission of California to the Union. Foultry, pigeons and pet stock are I placed in Division E in the World's I stioccififiitinn nnd have been ai- j | lotted over $10,(X)0 for cash prizes. I A feature of Washington's State Iwr- , tioultural exhibit at the World s Fair : j will be a display of celery four feet I j high and rhubarb ts.e same height and ! five inches thick. I New Mexico day at the World's Fair will be August is, 1004. This is the f anniversary of the day on which the j United States took formal possession I -of the then Mexican territory. " -2 I SOUTH CAROLINA ' 1 k STATE NEWS ITEMS. CMCSKMCNJCNJCVJfNjrsJ? Aged Watchman Drowned. Ben Lindsay, aged 50 years, employed as night watchman at the Cherokee mills in Charleston, wasi drowned in the mill race. While walking across the raje on a board he lost his foot ing and the strong current carried him trv tha hnrtnm Mid lifp]ps<s horiv Was fished out the next morning. * Boy Kills Baby Sister. A recent news item from Laurens stated that while a little son of Mr. C. A. Chapman, a prominent farmer cf Cross Hill, was loading a parlor rifle, the weapon was accidentally discharged, instantly killing his little threemonths-old sister. The child had just been laid in bed by its mother a few minutes before the deplorable tragedy occurred. * * Constables Remember the Governor. The Columbia division of the dispensary constabulary, headed by exAttorney General ,G. Duncan Bellinger their spokesman, visited the office of Governor Heyward a few days ago and presented him with a solid silver tea service, each piece being engraved with the letters "D. C. H." The gift represented contributions froip members of the entire state constabulary ?about three hundred in number. * * * Negro Child Burned to Death. At Spartanburg, a few days ago, the one-year-old child of Henry Ballenger, colored, was burned to death. The child was left in the house. The mother had been washing in the room and left a fire in the hearth, and several washtubs were scattered .round. The child was in bed near the fireplace. During the absence of the parents the bed ciothing caught fire and the child was literally roasted alive. Carpenters at work near by saved the cottage from being destroyed. Over Two Hundred Homicides. The annual report of Attorney General Gunter shows mat there were 222 cases of manslaughter reported to his office during the year 1903. The record is appalling, and it is possible that there are some homicides which were not reported by the clerks of court. Mr. Gunter has been examining the records of other states and iinds that South Carolina shows up badly. Only ninety-one homicides were reported in North Carolina last year, and that number was thought to be a fearful record ior the adjoining state. * ? Charleston Stores Burned. The furniture stores or A. Brookbanks and Thomas Reedy, at Charleston, were almost completely wiped out by fire a few days ago. The loss is about $10,000 and is partially covered by insurance. The fire originated in the third story of the Brookbanks> building on King street and the flames soon spread to the adjoining building, occupied by Thomas Reedy, an installment furniture dealer. Brookbanks' loss is about $9,000, while the loss sustained by Reedy i9 only about $1,000. The latter carried no insurance. The origin of the fire is not known, but it is supposed to have been set on fire. a * ~0 Negro Laborers in Cave-In. While digging a trench at the water works pumping station, at Goose creek, near Charleston, nine negro laborers were buried alive by the caving in of an embanKment. One, Geo. Moultrie, was killed outright, while the others were extricated from the mass of earth. Several of the negroes are seriously injured. The accident occurred late in the day just before the gang ?topped work. They had been doing trench work all day long , preparatory to building a sluice, when suddenly the embankment above them gave way and nine of the men were caught under the falling earth. A force of hands were put to work and all were taken out alive except George Moultrie. ? * * Boy Killed While Hunting. The 14-year-old son of G. W. Felk, of Bamberg, was accidentally ?hot and killed one day the past week while out hunting with two youthful companions. The accident occurred on the plantation of Mr. W. M. Brabham, a few miles from Bamberg. Young Folk was on a visit to the two sons of Mr T. J. Crider, and they were out hunting together. The boy Folk was be hind and playfully grabbed the coat | of his comrade, who had started to j run. The gun was discharged, the contents entering the boy's thigh. The wounded boy was at once carried to the house, but died soon after reaching there. Realizing tnat he was fatally wounded, the lad exonerated his companions from all blame for the affair. Will be Launched January 30. The cruiser Charleston, now build- j ing at Newport News by the i\ewport j News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock i/~"~ v>' . ^ f Company, will be launched January < 30.: Mayor Ifchett and a number of | city officials and prominent citizens of Charleston will attend the launch- 1 ing. The sponsor has not as yet been ' selected", but it is thought that the mayor will be asked by the navy department to request his daughter, Miss Rhett, to christen the new cruiser. The Charleston is fwice as> large as the old cruiser Charleston, which was sunk in the Pacific about a year and < a half.ago. She has a displacement of i nine thousand six hundred tons and I her main battery consists 01 fourteen 11 gun?. After the vessel is put' into 1 /-irtmmieei/m oho xpUI ho nrrfprpd to . VWAAAmiWUiVAA OUV iriii mv v* Charleston to receive a handsome sil-:' ver service that will be presented by , the city. ' * 1 * * The Olympia Mills Case. . In the case of Pauline and Eugene A. Dearing against the Olympia mills and the Granby mills an agreement ' looking to an amicable adjustment of ( claims of plaintiffs was arrived at by counsel on botn sides, and they submitted an order which the, court held ! under advisement and siigned later, j The last paragraph orders mat the 1 committee and directors of the Olym- 1 pia mills set apart and.a.old *150,000 of the new first mortgage Olympia ] bonds as security for fne claim of the j Granby cotton mills, and $75,000 of j the new first mortgage Olympia bonds j for the claim of the Richland mills. 1 > The closing paragraph referred to is | as follows: ' 1, "It is therefore ordered, adjudged ' j and decreed, that a temporary injunc ! i tion as prayed for in the bill do issue, j unless the defendant, the Olympia , cotton mills, do, within fifteen day* !. from the entry of this order, enter into , bond, approved by a judge of this , court, to stand to, abide by, and perform such decree as may be entered in favor of the complainants, and each of them, as the result of a full hearing . of this cause. "The matter of appointment of a receiver is reserved?' ' (Signed.) "CHARLES H. SIMONTON, "Circuit Judge." "Wm. H. Brawley, U. S. Dlst. Judge." ' LOYAL. BRYAN SUPPORTERS Issue Invitation to "Dollar Dinner" at Lincoln, Nebraska. 1 In an invitation issued at Lincoln ' _ I Nebraska, Bryan democrats ask all the faithful to a banquet January 18. After telling of the honors conferred on Mr. Bryan abroad, the' call declares: | "Loyal democrats, therefore, deem it | only fit and proper that this splendid 1 American citizen and great democrat be honored by his fellow democrats 1 upon his ;eturn home and. to that end, are arranging a 'dollar dinner' to be 1 held at the Lindell hotel, Lincoln, on * Jannuary 18, 1904." j THEATRE MANAGERS ARRESTED. Davis and Powers Placed Under Heavy Bonds at Chicago. Formally charged with manslaughter Managers Will J. Davis and Harry J. Powers, of the Iroquois theatre, with City Building Commissioner Wil- j * - ' - * 1 A J liams, were neia unaer Donas ui *iu,000 each at a hearing In Chicago Saturday. Col. William Pinkerton and Charles Platendon furnished bonds for Davis and Powers, and Andrew J. Graham, banker, furnished bond for Commit sioner Williams. PRESIDENT WIRES SYMPATHY To People of Chicago in Terrible Ca, lamity Which Befell Them. The following message was received in Chicago Thursday morning: "To Hon. Carter H. Harrison, Mayor Chicago: "In common with all our people throughout this land, I extend through you, to the people of Chicago my deepest sympathy in the tirrible catastrophe which has befallen tnem. (Signed.) "THEODORE ROOSEVELT." - I "LITTLE MACK" INSTALLED. Democratic Mayer of New Ycrk Takes Reins of City Government. George B. McCleilan became mayor of New York city Friday. He arrived j at the city hall and walked through j lines of democrats under an arch oi plant3 and flowers, to ihe mayors public reception room, where he was greeted by tne retiring mayor auu wu? | the oath of office. The ceremonies were not elaborate, and speeches were brief. ACT OF WAR IS REPORTED. Rumors in Colon that Colombian Gun , Boat is Sunk by Americans. There were persistent rumors in Colon Thursday and Friday that the Colombian gunboat General Pinzon had been sunk by the American warships. Assistant Secretary Darling, of the navy department, said Friday night that he had received no news whatever I with reference to the rumor, and it is I believed the report is without foundation. i , i Trouble in Republic cf Uruguay. A dispatch from Monte Video says that a revolution has broken out in th department of Maldonado, Uruguay and that a state of siege has been pio claimed throughout the entire republic * niit imimi in 11*4 ? ,. | | Cream of News. J Will I I 111 I III IIllllTlll* * "**j Brief Summary of Moat Important Events of Each "Day. \ X +. a ?Tobe Thornton, the negro who assaulted Miss Dismukes, a young woman of Webster county, Ga., was cay- i Lured near Americusi late Saturday / " sight and carried back to Webster. ?President Williams o$ the Georgia, Florida and Alabama railway, and a party of officials have been on a visit to Cuthbert investigating, it is supposed, the proposed extension to Cblumbus. ?'Fort- Valley, Ga.. suered a flfs loss of $12,000 Sunday morning. ?Judge Emory Speer, of the federal court, is to repeat his famous address on Robert E. Lee for the benefit of the -1 Macon city hospital. ?The Knoxville division of the- ^ Southern has received the first two of | a, large number of 100-ton locomotives % which were immediatOy put into earidee. ?Nearly one hundred girls had a aarrow escape from being cremated . aear Springfield, Ky., when St Catherine academy burned to the ground. : ?Advices received at Washington lead the state department authorities to anticipate an appeal from the sub- .. stantial elements of Santo Domingo for either annexation to the United States or a protectorate. ?Sunday was a day of funerals to Chicago and for the first time in the , history of the city all of the people who desired to bury their dead were unable to do so. j ?Rear Admiral Walker, who has i fust returned from Panama, declares that the people of the isthmus are a unit in support of the new government -M ?The eastern states are deep In ^ snow. High winds prevail on the Atlantic coast and steamers report rough | voyages. ?Prince Frederick, of SchoenbergWaldenberg, accompanied his petition to the pope for annullment of his marriage with Princess AJice, daughter off . Don Carlos, with a gold watch. r?f ?Dr.' WilHam Bauer, the German ethnologist, has found an Indian tribe jj In Mexico which claims to be (Jescenfr -t ed from the Teutons of Europe. ?Revolution has broken out in UTn- 1; guay and the entire republic has been ? declared in a state of siege. ?Fred D. Beall, postmaster at Con- >. Jor, Ga., who was so severely stabbed by Wiley Martin, of Dublin, his brotber-in-law, died Friday. ?Contractor A. F. Picke% was arrested at Hawkinsville, Ga.; Friday, * i charged with obtaining money under false pretenses. ?Felix Von Breisen, a young sculptor married a young lady of Ashevilla, N. C. Work being scarce, he went west His wife not hearing from him ' -~$. for more than a year, got a divorce. A few weeks ago she received a letter from him. He was left a fortune. He returned home and they were re- I married. ?Farmers of North Carolina are re- '??1 ported to be in better financial condition than ever before, the advance in cotton prices, being the cause. Ah advance in prices of tobacco is predicted. * ?The fight of the Chattanooga Cen- " ^ tral Labor Council against the Stand ard Manufacturing Company has end- . v ed, the company organizing a branch of the Garment Workers' Union. ?Mayor Carter H. Harrison, of Chicago, ordered an inspection of all city * theatres to ascertain if they were protected by an. asbestos curtain. On 3 their report he ordered nineteen thea- j* ters closed. ?Nearly five hundred democrats of Nebraska Friday night celebrated at Omaha the ninety-ninth anniversary ' of Andrew Jackson's victory over the British at New Orleans and the thir- | teenth annual banquet or tne jacKsonian Club of Nebraska. ?President and Mrs. Roosevelt in-- ^ augurated on New Year's day, the official season in the nation's capital with a brilliant reception. ?At Pineapple, Ala., on organization of court to try five men charged with % lynching, the judges left the bench, one of them being disqualified, and court dissolved. t?Tom Stancey, a convict in the Louisiana penitentiary, killed Charles Ariant, captain of the watch, by shooting t him with pistol. ?Alabama convict bureau officials say that the state netted $200,000 from the hire of convicts for the year I90& * ?North Carolina had only on? lynch- * ing in 1903. The year previous there* were eight lynchings in the state. ?Captain Fred Pabst, head of the Pabst Brewing Company, died at Milwaukee Friday. ?It is expected at Washington that thA emDeror of China will soon sign the recently negotiated commercial treaty with the United States. ?The Hotel Louvre, at Chicago, was destroyed by fire Friday night Three persons were killed and four others injured. ?There are persistent rumors at Colon that the Colombian gunboat General Pinton has been sunk by. the Americans. . ?