[Inclosure in No. 243.]
Capt. Johnston to
Mr. Kimberly.
Pacific
Mail Steamship City of New York,
Off San José de Guatemala, January
29, 1891.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter bearing date of January 28, 1891, in which you
inform me that on to-morrow (Thursday, the 29th instant) Col. Toriello,
commandant of the port of San José, would, in full-dress uniform,
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visit this ship for the purpose
of making such explanations and apologies as would in my judgment he
satisfactory to me and most meet to the honor of our flag.
I have the honor to inform you that at 4 o’clock this afternoon Col.
Toriello, accompanied by his aid-de-camp, Capt. Calderon, of the
Guatemalan army made an official visit to this ship and was received
with all the honors that could possibly be paid by a ship of the United
States merchant marine.
Col. Toriello and I agreed upon the proper form in which the necessary
apology to our Government and nag should be carried out.
The officers and crew were ordered to be mustered to starboard, and the
passengers arranged themselves on the port side.
Accompanied by Col. Toriello, I then took position on the bridge, and in
presence of those assembled read to them first your communication of
yesterday, after which I explained in detail the unwarranted seizure and
unceremonious return of the arms and ammunition taken from the Pacific
Mail ship Colima on July 18 last and returned to
steamship San Bias on August 31, 1890, while I
was in command of the latter ship.
I then read to those assembled the order of Mr. J. H. Leverich, our
special agent in Guatemala, in which order I was instructed that, in
accordance with an understanding with the American minister, I was to
receive on board the San Bias the arms and
ammunition seized on the steamship Colima in the
preceding month, they being delivered to me in proper condition by an
official of the Guatemalan Government, but that the spirit of this
agreement being in no way complied with, and certain arms and ammunition
being delivered to me in a manner that I could not consider other than
contemptuous, I made formal protest to our company’s special agent at
Guatemala.
Col. Toriello then explained that at the date of seizure war with
Salvador was by his Government deemed inevitable, and an “excess of
zeal” prompted him to an act that, on mature consideration, his
Government refused to indorse.
Col. Toriello further stated that by reason of the fact that a
subordinate officer (who here shall be nameless) disobeyed a positive
order, the arms and ammunition were not delivered befitting the
occasion.
Appealing to those present, I then proposed three cheers for our national
flag, which were promptly responded to, the colonel and his aid-de-camp
joining heartily, after which a uniformed officer of my command hoisted
the flag of Guatemala at the fore, to which a similar salute was
paid.
The hospitalities of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company were then
partaken of by all, and Col. Toriello left the ship at 7 o’clock p.m.,
expressing the warmest regard for our countrymen at home and abroad.
In conclusion, I wish to say that during this occasion an American
ensign, 40 feet in length, was flying from the main truck in addition to
the national colors daily worn at the after flagstaff by all ships of
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company’s fleet.
I have, etc.,
Frank H. Johnston,
Captain Pacific Mail Steamship Company, Commanding
Steamship City of New York.
